Tell Her
by gokusgirl
Summary: IchiRuki. A worried Ichigo tries to help Rukia after she tells him something that will forever change their friendship. Finale Chapter five posted!
1. What's wrong with Rukia?

**Author's Note:** This is my first Bleach fic, and it is inspired from a show that I used to watch back in the late 80's titled _Moonlighting._ I used the David/Maddie/Sam arc in that story here… and if you don't know what the heck I'm talking about, just read my story! You'll love it, I promise!

I need a beta reader for this story… interested parties can contact me through my profile. This is not edited so please excuse any errors you may encounter.

**Tell Her**

**Chapter One**

The alarm clock buzzed briefly as Ichigo threw his covers over his head, groaning into his pillow. Now a senior, he dreaded going to school now. Life just seemed to be more complicated ever since he became a Shinigami.

In the span of a few years Ichigo managed to save Rukia's life in The Soul Society, and then Orihime in the Hueco Mundo. To top that all off; he was still killing hollows in his town when he returned. His already non-existent social life was dwindling down into nothing more than a short hello and goodbye to his friends and family. Now school was back in session… and already his father was hounding him about what universities he should be applying to. It truly sucked being Ichigo Kurosaki right now.

And now he had a new problem. Even though he was a bit busier than usual, it didn't tear him away from the fact that he noticed something was wrong with Rukia. She had become more distant lately; never maintaining longer conversations with him like she always did. And there were moments she would disappear for hours, sometimes days at a time. This was a genuine concern for Ichigo; not only was she his soul-reaping partner, she was his friend, they were close and there wasn't anything they couldn't talk about. And more importantly, this world was vastly different from hers; she could unknowingly get mugged or attacked by someone if she wasn't careful. Ichigo shook his head and laughed to himself, sitting up in his bed as he thought about some punk trying to grab Rukia… she would easy put him on his ass if that happened.

_Okay, she can defend herself_… Ichigo argued to himself as he stepped into the hot spray of the shower. Then why did she have to disappear so frequently? He was going to get to the bottom of this, today.

He only hoped she would actually come to school so he could confront her about it.

* * *

Walking briskly down the hallway, Ichigo made way to the classroom. He was distracted briefly by his classmates, but he easily thwarted them. Walking in, he noticed Rukia sitting at her assigned seat, simply reading a book. Instantaneously, their eyes met over the expanse of the classroom. Rukia was the first to tear her eyes away from his and continued reading her book, attempting to ignore him. She must have noticed the wary look in his eyes; no doubt she wanted to avoid any- and all- conversation with him.

"Oi," Ichigo said as he stopped in front of her desk. "What's up?"

"Nothing." Rukia quickly replied, her eyes still fastened on her book.

"Rukia." Ichigo called out to her, his tone deep and serious. She looked up at him, his arm bent at the elbow with his schoolbag thrown over one shoulder. His uniform; though neatly ironed and clean, was never buttoned at the very top- as required by school regulations. It was always unbuttoned a few buttons down, revealing his casual tee shirt. Today he was wearing his black tee with the flaming red and yellow skull.

He searched her eyes, hoping she would tell him what was wrong. The dead silence told him different; she wasn't revealing anything. "I want you to tell me what's wrong." Ichigo implored, trying hard not sound whinny or desperate. She hated when he sounded like that.

"There's nothing wrong, Ichigo." Rukia replied curtly, her eyes starting to drift back to her book. This apparently pissed Ichigo off royally. He reached out, snapped the book down onto the desk. Rukia glowered; supremely irritated at his continual persistence. "What the hell!" she cried angrily.

"Exactly, what the _hell_," Ichigo repeated back at her, leaning down towards her, his scowl deeper than ever. "You're gonna tell me what the hell is bothering you, I'm sick of this!"

Before she could retort, the school bell rang, and the other classmates rushed to their seats. Ichigo stood, rolled his eyes at the tiny death-god before he sat down next to her. He was going to make sure she didn't run out on him this time… he was going to get to follow her into hell if that was what it took to get the truth out of her.

* * *

Rukia was annoyed by the end of the day. Not only did Ichigo follow her all around school today, but he even walked her to Orihime's house. She asked Orihime if she could stay with her a month ago; telling Ichigo that even though it was very hospitable of his family to let her stay there; she felt like a third wheel.

They were already halfway there when Rukia stopped; clutching her school books close to her chest she finally spoke.

"Alright… you've followed me all day. What do you want?" She snapped.

Ichigo sighed and walked around to face her, noticing her irritated frown. "I just wanna know… what's the matter?"

"What's the matter," Rukia snorted as she repeated his words back at him, her eyes now following the cracks along the sidewalk. "If you knew it would only satisfy your own curiosity. It wouldn't help me."

"Then let me try," Ichigo said honestly, his hand falling on her shoulder. She gazed up at him, the sunset cascading down behind him, the breeze blowing his orange stands of hair, making him look mature. "I thought we were friends, Rukia."

"We are," Rukia replied softly. "It's just that this isn't a _friend_ thing."

Ichigo's already furrowed eyebrows crumpled even more. "Then what could it be? It can't be that bad," Ichigo assured her.

"Oh… it's bad alright." Rukia said as she shook her head in futility.

"We could always talk about things, Rukia," Ichigo spoke quietly, hoping his calming tone would reassure her of his concern. "Whatever's mixing you up or is causing you pain… I want to know about it. Just tell me what you're feeling."

Rukia paused, turning her back to Ichigo as her head tilted back, taking in the wondrous view of the sunset on the horizon. "Ichigo, I feel alone… yet surrounded at the same time."

Ichigo nodded, his hands now folding in front of him as she began to confess. "Okay."

"I feel trapped, or kind of… _restrained_ … like a bird in a cage about to break free."

Ichigo raised a puzzled eyebrow at her metaphor; but nonetheless he tried to understand her predicament. Maybe she was just feeling homesick for the Soul Society. "…That's understandable." He said slowly.

Rukia whirled around to face him, the expression on her face one he'd never seen before. Her eyes twinkled with a gleam of something wild. "Do you know what I want to do? Do you really want to know what this is all about?" Rukia paused, closing her eyes as she took a deep breath just contemplating what she wanted to say. She opened her eyes, looking back at the now very confused Ichigo when she spoke, "I would like to just go out there, you know…out somewhere in town… just find some guy, not even ask his name… and go to a hotel and just be _bad_."

"What?" Ichigo croaked, his eyes widening at what she said. But she wasn't listening. She was too wrapped up into her own fantasy to realize.

"I would be _so_ bad… It would be _so_ wonderful… and not even ask his name…"

"I DON'T WANT TO HEAR THIS!" Ichigo injected loudly, his hands crossing each other in the 'stop' motion. They both stood there silently, staring at each other. Ichigo now knew what that look was on Rukia's face. It was lust. She frowned, placing a hand on her hip, and narrowed her eyes.

"Right." She scoffed as she shook her head in incredulity. "Well it's nice to know that we can confide in our friends." Rukia spoke coolly. Ichigo didn't respond; he continued to stare at her in total shock at what he heard. "What's with that expression on your face? You wouldn't be picking your chin up off the floor if you were having this conversation with Chad or Keigo."

"You're damn right I wouldn't be," Ichigo replied quickly.

Rukia let out an exasperated sigh as she began to walk away. "Stupid Rukia, I'm always forgetting… what's good for the goose is forbidden for the gander!"

"Oi… where are you going?" Ichigo asked as he ran behind her.

"Out." Rukia replied, never looking back at him.

"Out… out where?" He asked in a panicked voice.

"Out. Out there." She answered simply.

"Look Rukia… don't go out there and do something stupid." He pleaded.

"I've already done something stupid. I talked to you." She replied nastily.

"What would make you want to do this Rukia?" Ichigo asked as he grabbed her arm, forcing her to look at him. She didn't give an answer; she just simply glared at him. After a few seconds, Ichigo tilted his head to one side, a small smirk curling on the end of his mouth. She was bluffing. This was only some feeble attempt to get his attention. "You're going home." He said clearly. "You're going home and you're going to bed before eight like you always do." He his tone was mocking, but it came off more as an order than a proclamation.

Rukia never spoke; only brushing a stray hair out of her eyes. Ichigo's smirk disappeared, and the scowl returned as he gave her a good shake to let her know he's serious. "Look me in the eye and _tell_ me you're going home." Ichigo waited for her reply, but she still stood there, her stoic expression not faltering. He frowned, confused at her demeanor and reluctance. "Why are you so… _unhappy_?"

"My chastity belt is pinching me." Rukia snapped, breaking free from his grasp and stormed down the sidewalk angrily. "Good bye."

Ichigo watched Rukia's retreating figure, puzzled at what she told him. He turned, walking home as her words repeated over and over in his head, making his stomach churn with sickness. The mere thought of Rukia acting reckless and out of control with a total stranger no less- was _not_ a pleasing image; in fact it was damn near disturbing!

Ichigo stopped in his tracks, realizing that Rukia was dead serious of her intentions. Fear stabbed at his gut, and before his mind knew what his body was doing, he was turning around and dashing down the sidewalk, top speed. There was no way he would allow her to do something so stupid. In spite of her lewd confession, she was his friend and he had to keep her from making the worst mistake of her life.

He slowed down, thinking how Rukia would react if he would try, yet again, to save her. He decided to follow her tonight, to see where she went and to make sure she didn't get into any trouble. _That's all,_ Ichigo thought to himself. _I just want to make sure she's okay after all that crazy talk earlier._ He approached Orihime's house, and crossed the street to the dark alleyway. He hid in the shadows and waited to see if Rukia would come out. He hoped deep down that she was only bluffing and wouldn't come out at all. But when the front door opened an hour later, Ichigo's worst fears were confirmed. He could hear Rukia talking to Orihime. Then he heard Orihime exclaim, "Have a good evening Rukia!" He ducked, making sure that Rukia didn't see him as she exited the house. He noticed she was no longer in her school attire; she had on a simple black dress with a red jacket and matching cap.

_She's just going out for a walk_, Ichigo convinced himself as he stealthy began to follow behind her. But when she began to walk into the seedy part of town where the all-night saloons and strip clubs were, he began to worry. He stood behind a corner and watched as Rukia walk into the infamous Paper Lateran, a bar that had a notorious reputation for being hunting grounds for lonely drunken men and women.

Ichigo growled low in his throat, angry that she would even have the nerve to walk into _that_ place. Hell, he was only seventeen and they would definitely card him if he tried to come in. Rukia however was a different story. She had told him on numerous occasions she was much older than him and in all outward appearances did look older. But he also knew that the Paper Lateran didn't ID women, so it wouldn't be problem for her to enter.

When he knew she was inside, he rushed around the back of the building, creeping along the alley to find a window. Red and blue lights danced on the brick wall, and Ichigo noticed a window into the bar. He pulled up a trashcan and climbed up, looking in to see if he could locate Rukia. He gasped when he spotted her red hat and jacket just as she sat down at the bar.

"What will you have miss?" The bartender shouted over the music.

"Soda water please," Rukia said with a small smile. She looked down at the end of the bar, and noticed that five guys were already gawking at her. "You'd better make that a Kamikaze on the rocks." She amended quickly.

Rukia got her drink and got up to go sit a small table. It wasn't a minute later a tall, handsome man floated over, a drink in his hand.

"Mind if I join you?" The handsome man asked with a toothy smile.

Rukia smiled hesitantly and nodded, "Sure."

The man sat down, and they both just exchanged some nervous chuckles and smiles. "I saw when you walked in here," he said casually, "And I have to say that you are gorgeous."

"Oh… really?" Rukia said with her award-winning actress tone.

"Oh yeah. Makes a man wonder what a beautiful thing like you doing in a place like this?" He asked.

Rukia's smile faded a few degrees as she hunched her shoulders, taking a quick sip of her drink. "I just wanted to get out, I suppose."

"Me too. You know I was just thinking-" Right at that moment, the guy swung his hand and knocked his glass over on the table, the contents splashing all over Rukia's dress. She yelped, standing up as she tried to blot off as much alcohol as she could with a napkin. "Oh gosh… I'm so sorry about that. You made me so nervous." He said with a small chuckle.

"It's alright," Rukia tried to say in a pleasant tone, but damn it if this guy wasn't beginning to sound irritating. "I'll just go clean myself up in the restroom."

"You know I have a place right around the corner from here if you wanted to get cleaned up," The man offered quickly, which made Rukia look up at him suspiciously. He smiled as he added, "You know why you're here, baby. I'm here for it too. We can go over to my place, I'll get you out of that dress and get you cleaned up, _real_ good."

Rukia couldn't believe the nerve of this guy. He wasn't discreet with his intentions. It anything it was definite turn _off_. She looked at him, staring back at her with that stupid toothy grin that made her want to smack it right off. She squared her shoulders, narrowing her eyes at him.

"I don't think so. Good night." Rukia turned on one heel and headed to the back of the club to find the women's restroom.

Ichigo snickered to himself. Having seen that little display he knew she would probably not pick this guy. _What am I thinking?_ Ichigo thought to himself. _I'm finding amusement at her turning a guy down who wanted to screw her?_ Ichigo shook his head, trying to rattle the visual image of her with some strange man. He watched her walk toward the back of the club, and presumed she was heading for the bathroom. He didn't have a good view of the back, so he kept his eye in that location until she came back out.

* * *

As she looked back at her reflection under the bright light of the restroom, Rukia fumed. She pulled down more paper towels to blot her dress, and then looked back at herself again.

_What are you doing here?_ Rukia thought to herself. True, she was out here to get laid by some stranger… but once the opportunity presented itself it became so… unclean. Unhealthy. Unnatural. She really didn't want to do it this way, but she was sexually frustrated! She needed relief… _badly_.

That damn gigai was the blame. She was given permission to stay longer than usual in the human world recently, and since her stay her body was getting more and more human. A month ago to her shock and dismay she had her first period- which freaked her out until Orihime told her what it was.

Then the sexual urges began. It was an emotion that she felt was long gone… only experiencing once when she was young and living in the Rukongai. But even then the feelings were nothing compared what she was feeling right now. It was all she thought about… the intensity of the sensations were tens time more extreme than it had been in the Soul Society- which would explain why the Shinigami could conduct themselves with little or no emotion.

It first came on as a dull ache in her stomach and nether regions; making it difficult to ignore sometimes. Then it progressed into this throbbing, pulsating tingle that would rear its ugly head in the worst times, like in the middle of class. Rukia would squirm and shift around in her seat, pressing her thighs together to somehow abate the feeling. Her panties would be drenched by the end of the day… and in the evening when she would lay awake at night it became so distracting that she had to touch herself in order to find relief.

But she needed _more_.

So now she's resorted to getting a stranger to relieve this itch for her. Rukia snorted. _Not one of my better ideas_, she thought as she pulled her cap off her head, her jacket following. She laid them in the lounge chair that sat near the doorway, and returned to the mirror.

Rukia then began remembering how she went to Urahara Kisuke in a panic about the situation, explaining to him that the gigai may be defective…

_He chuckled darkly at her distress when she explained the '__malfunctions' the gigai was giving her, only to say with much amusement, "Its only human sensations your feeling, that's all," Urahara said as he snapped his fan closed. A wicked grin curled on the end of his lips as he added, "They are intense, aren't they?"_

"_I don't want to feel intense," Rukia growled, grabbing the lapel of his robes. "I don't like feeling out of control."_

"_Then do something about it." Urahara replied, pulling his hat down further on his head, concealing his eyes. "That is the only advice I can give you. The only way to sate this yearning is to indulge in it. You'll be right as rain after that, Rukia-san."_

Running her fingers through her hair, she looked up when a dark-haired woman wearing a black evening gown entered the restroom. Embarrassed for staring, Rukia turned back to the mirror, mussing her hair with her fingers nervously as she eyed the woman in the reflection of the mirror.

The woman stopped at the mirror, opening up a small compact as she applied her translucent concealer on her nose and cheeks.

"Not having a good night, honey?" The woman spoke to Rukia, her accent sounding like she was from some foreign country. Startled, Rukia looked over at her and blushed. "These men are sharks in here, honey. They have no problem with telling you they want to get into your pants."

Rukia let out an exasperated sigh, chuckling as she threw her hands up in the air. "You're not lying about that, they're despicable!" Relaxing around the woman's presence, she walked around the partition to the sink, and began washing her hands. "I don't even know why I came here tonight. Well… I do why I came here but now I realize that I don't have stoop down to this."

"Due tell, honey." The woman drawled as she closed her compact with a smirk.

"I guess what I'm looking for isn't in this place, that's for sure." Rukia said as she dried her hands. She paused, waiting to hear the woman respond, but there was none. "Hello…?" Rukia called out as she walked back around the partition, noticing the woman had left.

And her coat and hat was gone as well.

* * *

Ichigo's heart raced with alarm when he noticed Rukia walking towards the door with a guy sporting salt and peppered hair. _What the hell?_ Ichigo thought to himself. _She just went to the bathroom… right? How did she pick up a man near the restroom? _

Leaping down from the trashcan, Ichigo dashed round to the front of the building just in time to see Rukia and her now chosen date hop into a black Mercedes and drive off. Panicking, Ichigo ran out to the curb and began waving for a taxi that was driving down towards him. The taxi pulled to the curb and Ichigo hopped in.

"Where to bub?" The taxi driver asked.

"Follow that black Mercedes!" Ichigo almost screamed.

The driver rolled his eyes and pulled off the curb, following the dark car down the street. Ichigo frantically looked ahead, keeping his eyes on the car in front of him when he noticed the taxi driver's eyes looking at him in the rear-view mirror.

"Wife or girlfriend?" The taxi driver asked.

Puzzled at the taxi driver's question, Ichigo scowled. "What did you just say?"

"The car we're following… is your wife or girlfriend in there?" The taxi driver asked again.

"Neither." Ichigo replied harshly. He was irritated with the mere intrusion of his question. "Can you just catch up to that car please?"

"So you're following a woman that isn't your wife or girlfriend all over town? Sounds strange if you ask me…" The taxi driver laughed lightly as he shook his head.

"She's just a friend I'm… _watching_ over, okay? Can you just mind your damn business and drive this taxi?" Ichigo blurted out maliciously.

"Whatever kid," The taxi driver said as she rolled his eyes yet again. "You just have my fare ready when we stop."

The Mercedes finally stopped in front of a hotel a few blocks from the Paper Lateran, and Ichigo had the taxi stop a block back to let him out. He watched Rukia and the unknown man leave the vehicle with a valet as they walked inside the hotel, the unknown man now with his arm around Rukia's waist. Seeing that made Ichigo a little rattled; he just couldn't believe she was doing what she set out to do. He briskly walked into the hotel, making sure Rukia wouldn't see him as he had a seat in the lobby, pulling out a newspaper and unfolding to conceal his face.

He was close to the clerk's desk, and he could hear part of their conversation as the clerk gave them a room. When he heard the clerk say room 225, he got up and exited, heading around the back side of the hotel, climbing up storage drain to the second floor. One of the storage drains broke when he grabbed a hold of it, the murky water running all over his face and clothes. After climbing up he made it to a window that was on the second floor hallway. He ducked when he saw the elevator's door open and he saw Rukia and the unknown man walk out, their backs still turned to him as they walked down the corridor to the second door on the left. The moment they walked in, Ichigo was on his knees on the tiny ledge, crawling around to where he thought the room was.

As he crept by, he peered into each window, hoping he would see Rukia in one of the rooms. He cringed when he caught sight of a few people in the middle of heinous sexual acts as he looked in, and he prayed he wouldn't catch Rukia in one of those compromising positions. His knees were getting bloodied from the stones digging into his skin, and his hands ached from gripping the ledge. But he was determined to intervene and keep Rukia from making this grave mistake.

When he stared into one of the last windows on that side of the building he noticed a flash of red. It was Rukia's jacket and cap lying on the chair in the hotel room. Ichigo's heart leapt into his throat. His eyes then followed over to the where the bed was located, and he groaned.

With her back still facing him, Rukia was now embracing the unknown man, kissing him furiously. The man had his hands all over her body, occasionally his hands running down to her hips, grabbing them tightly.

_No,no,__no,no,no… !_ Ichigo thought as panic wavered through his chest. He felt sickened to discover her this way… being handled and touched in a way that was too much for his mind to comprehend. Anger flashed through him, making him sweat with a sort a rage he never felt with her before. He watched as the man groped her, kissing and licking her neck and shoulders until the man's eyes opened and looked directly at Ichigo in the window.

"Hey goddamnit!" The man yelled.

Ichigo ducked, whimpering as he almost fell off the ledge. He tried to turn and scamper away, but it was too late. The man had opened the window, and Ichigo heard the clicking sound of a gun being cocked back.

"You're not going anywhere, fucker." The man growled. Ichigo stopped in his tracks, frozen with fear. "Now you turn your narrow ass around and crawl inside." As soon as he climbed over the window sill, the man pulled him in and slammed him into the wall face first.

"Look Rukia… I can explain," Ichigo spoke nervously as he felt the barrel of the gun press against his shoulder blade. "I know you're wondering why I followed you out here, but I was only looking out for…" Ichigo managed to turn is head to look at her, only to find that he wasn't staring back at Rukia. It was some woman, same height; same hair color as Rukia… but it _wasn't_ Rukia. "…_You_? Who are you lady?"

The man slammed Ichigo's face against the wall again, making him groan. "Seems like we need to ask you that question," The man yelled. "Who the hell is Rukia?"

"She's a friend I was following tonight, but now since I know this isn't Rukia she could be off doing something with someone else." Ichigo rattled out, his heart being hard in his chest. "So can you let me go please?"

"Do you know this kid, baby?" The man asked the woman, and she shook her head. "Well I ain't letting you go until I figure out what's going on asshole."

"Well that's fine dude…" Ichigo laughed evenly, trying to make light of the situation. "But if I have to stay here then what about that guy out on the ledge?"

The man looked over at the window, looking for the second intruder as Ichigo slipped out of his grasp, and made a grab for the gun. The man and Ichigo began to tussle and rolled around the floor, the gun going off one time but barely missing them both. Just as Ichigo managed to overpower the man and was on top of him, the woman came up behind him with a vase and crashed it over his head. Stunned, Ichigo turned around to gaze at the woman standing in front of him, his vision blurring.

"Are you sure you're not Rukia? You sure hit like her…" Ichigo grumbled as he fell backwards, and suddenly all was black.

* * *

A dull ache in his head roused him awake, and he moaned as he rubbed his temples. He was lying on his back on the floor, and as he began to sit up he felt something on his legs holding him down. Looking down the length of his legs, Ichigo went rigid with shock when he noticed the thing that held his leg down was the man he was fighting with earlier lying there… dead. His mouth was lying open, his eyes rolled back in his head. Ichigo instantly kicked the man off of him, scooting back across the floor on his behind. The pain from being hit in the head was lifting, and he struggled to recall what had happened. He remembered being pulled into the room by the now dead man, and discovering that the woman he had been following all night wasn't Rukia…

_The woman!_ Ichigo thought as he looked around the room. She wasn't anywhere to be found. That's when he heard it. The sound of police sirens from the distance; and the loud pounding at the hotel room door. Before he could get to his feet the door was kicked open by one of the four police officers that stood behind it, and they drew their weapons at Ichigo.

"Police! Place your hands on your head and get on your knees now!" One of the policemen ordered the teen. Frightened out of his wits, Ichigo complied, and the other officer ran in and tackled him, handcuffing and dragging him downstairs to the police car. And has they stuffed him in the backseat, Ichigo wondered how the night had gone straight to hell like it did.

* * *

Pacing the dingy jail cell like a lion in a cage, Ichigo bit his thumb as he tried to figure out how he got in this mess. Obviously he didn't kill that dude. Whipped his ass? Sure he did. But the dude didn't deserve to die; he would have reacted the same way if someone was hanging off the ledge peeking into his room too. His thoughts drifted back to the mysterious woman that knocked him out. She had to be the killer. But she was long gone. There was no way the police officers would believe his story. The woman was a ghost now and he was going to be booked for murder.

_An__d this is all because Rukia felt the need to jump someone's bones_, Ichigo scoffed as he thought to himself. He felt like a big fat jerk… what was he thinking in the first place following her anyway? What was he exactly going to do or say if he actually caught her in the act? _I should have stayed out of this_, He thought and he ran his fingers through his hair.

The double doors of the corridor that led to the holding cells burst open as an officer escorted a woman in. Ichigo looked up briefly and his jaw slacked. It was the woman from the hotel room.

"Hey baby!" The woman called out to Ichigo as the officer walked her past his cell.

"Hey! Officer! That's the woman I was telling you about!!! She was there! Hey!" Ichigo screamed out to the officer, but he didn't care less. He placed the woman in the cell next to his, locked it and walked back out. "Wait!!! Don't leave!" Ichigo begged, and after the officer left, he slumped against the cell bars, defeated. "Great… just _great_!"

Ichigo sat down on the grimy floor, not really caring it was filthy. From the nasty water from the storage drain and climbing on the building's ledge, he was already a mess.

His life definitely over.

"Aw baby… don't be sad. It'll be alright." The woman purred as she sat down on the bench in the cell.

"That's easy for you to say," Ichigo snapped. "You're not being charged with murder."

"Let me tell you something baby," The woman said with a wide smile on her face. "That man I killed tonight… I would have killed for him. I loved him that much."

Ichigo's head snapped up, staring at the woman. He leapt to his feet and yelled out his cell, "Hey!!! Oi!!! She just confessed!!! Hey!"

"Stop yelling," The woman ordered him as she stood.

"Stop yelling? You just confessed you dizzy broad!" Ichigo growled as he pointed his finger at the woman.

"And I'll confess again." The woman replied, and Ichigo stopped quieted, a bemused look on his face. "Now stop all that screaming and sit down."

Reluctantly, Ichigo sat down on the bench next to the woman's cell. He felt so tired; he placed his head in his hands as he exhaled weakly. This was definitely a night that wouldn't end.

"Who is Rukia?" The woman asked.

Ichigo raised his head up, looking at the woman. "What?"

"You called me Rukia tonight. Who is she?"

Ichigo looked away from her, sighing as he thought about the little death-god. "She's just some girl."

"_Just some girl_?" The woman laughed. "Look at yourself. Would you put yourself through all _that_ for some girl?"

Looking down at himself, Ichigo had to chuckle at how torn up he looked. Shaking his head, he softly admitted, "I was worried about her. She said some things to me today that she had never said before. I just wanted to make sure she was okay."

"Really?" The woman spoke just as softy as she gazed at the boy. She smiled, folding her arms in front of her as she crossed her legs. "Does she know you love her?"

Ichigo snapped his head in her direction, his cheeks turning red. "H-huh? I don't love-"

"Yes you do," The woman declared, her smile widening. "No man would go through what you went through tonight if you didn't love her. Why don't you tell her?"

Ichigo's head was reeling. He was in love with Rukia? Could it actually be possible? He knew he felt something for her… and he thought it was just friendship.

But the more he thought on it… all the times they spent together, the closeness, how he nearly risked his life tonight and so many other times before… just for _her_. This was deeper and stronger than any friendship he had ever had. He just didn't know it until now.

Ichigo's heart beat hard against his chest with the realization. His empty stomach was fluttering with butterflies just thinking that all thistime, he _loved_ her. How long had he been denying himself this fact?

"Tell her," The woman coaxed him. "Just tell her. What do you got to lose?"

Ichigo gulped, resting his elbows on his thighs as he considered what he had to do. But how was going to tell her locked up in a place like this… ?

"Kurosaki Ichigo?" The officer's voice yelled, drawing Ichigo out of his thoughts. Nodding mutely, he slowly began to stand. He watched the officer unlock his cell door and opened it. "Come with me son." Ichigo began to walk out when he felt a hand grab his arm, and he turned around, looking back at the woman in the adjoining cell.

"You make sure you tell her, baby. Alright?" The woman smiled.

Ichigo couldn't speak, but nodded shakily as the blood rushed to his cheeks once more. He turned and walked out of the cell, escorted by the officer to the interrogation room.

* * *

"…So let me get this straight," The fat detective said as he put out his cigarette in the ashtray in front of Ichigo. "The girl you _thought_ you were following was the girl in the holding cell, and that's how you ended up in this mess?"

Ichigo coughed, the nasty smoke irritating his lungs. "That's right."

"You know we have strict stalking laws in Japan," The skinny detective noted to Ichigo as she pushed his glasses up on his nose.

"I wasn't _stalking_ her," Ichigo grumbled, waving his hand in front of his face. He was getting sick of this now. They had been asking him the same questions for the last hour. "I was making sure she was okay, that's all."

"_Sure_ you were," The fat detective drawled out, his eyes rolling wildly. "If I could get a yen for every time I've heard that line."

"So who is this girl to you, your sister, your girlfriend maybe?" The skinny detective asked.

"I don't know what she is to me, alright?" Ichigo spat out, running his fingers in his hair. It seemed like the detectives were more interested with validating his relationship with Rukia rather than investigate the murder, which at the time was _clearly_ more important. "I… I think I'm in love with her, I guess." He sputtered softly.

"Hey Ichigo," The fat detective said as he leaned in towards him, the words 'duh' clearly written his eyes. "Don't you think you need to tell her?"

* * *

The rain was falling hard as the police car rolled to a stop in front of Orihime's house. Ichigo exited from the back seat, waving goodbye and good riddance of the officers. The mystery woman stuck to her word and confessed about the murder, freeing him of any wrongdoing. Apparently the woman was housewife getting her husband of eight years back for cheating on her. The skinny detective wanted to charge him for being a peeking tom and intrusion, but the fat detective decided that Ichigo had been through enough that evening. It was just rotten luck that the woman and Rukia looked so similar from a distance.

As the police car drove away, Ichigo stood there on Orihime's lawn, staring at the house. The rain wasn't cold, but a chill was shivering through his body from inside out. Ichigo never told anyone he loved them before, other than his mother, naturally. _This would be the most pivotal moment in my life_, he thought has he walked forward. This would be an event in his life that he would tell his children, and his children's children. He would tell her how he felt, and he only prayed she felt the same way.

But she had to. Rukia brought out the best in him, and he brought out the best in her. In spite of all the arguments and spats they had, they always made up one way or another. And then there was always this raw tension that was brewing between them and made them both unknowingly passionate about the other's well being… he now understood that it was their strong attraction to each other that made their passion so intense.

They were made for each other.

Looking over himself, the rain did wash off some of the scum that covered him, and he slicked his wet hair out of his eyes. Nervously he brought one closed fist to the door, paused and then knocked. Ichigo cleared his throat, rolling his neck in an attempt to sway the tension out of it as he saw a light come on in the living room, and the sound of footsteps padding to the front door. His heart was beating rapidly as he heard the turning of the lock, and the door slowly began to open.

"Look, Rukia… I know it's late but I have to tell you something…" Ichigo nervously began as he now saw the lean red-headed man standing at the door. Ichigo swallowed deeply, His eyes widening to his horror. It was Renji Abarai. His hair was down, lying down around his shoulders. He had on an unbuttoned shirt with white pajama pants. They both looked at each other momentarily as Renji placed a hand on the door jam.

"You were looking for Rukia?" Renji finally asked, breaking the thick silence.

"Yeah." Ichigo said in a low voice, stuffing his hands into his pockets. They were shaking uncontrollably and he didn't want Renji to notice it.

"She's asleep," Renji replied as he looked Ichigo up and down strangely. "I could go get her, if you want."

"No," Ichigo quickly replied as he slowly backed up from the door. "It really isn't necessary."

"Are you sure?" Renji asked again, bemused at Ichigo's sudden retreat. "I could just-"

"Don't bother," Ichigo managed to say with a small, painful smile. "It really wasn't important anyway. Sorry to bother you." Ichigo turned oh his heel, and slowly began to walk away. He heard the door close, and he looked over his shoulder, watching the light in the living room go out. He turned again, numbly walking away. He felt like his entire body had turned into the rain, his life just running out of him. Yet he was only too gracious for the inclement weather… that way no one could tell if it was rain drops or tears sliding down his face.

**:: To be continued ::**


	2. The Days of Wine & Roses

Attention ichiruki fans... this is NOT a Renji/Rukia fic. Be patient while the plot unfolds. XD

Thanks to **Titbua** for the revisions…

**Tell Her**

**Chapter Two**

The little plush lion opened his eyes, stretching across the soft comforter that lay in the closet. He turned over; rubbing his nose into the material as he tried to take in Rukia's fading scent that was left on them. He sighed, rolling onto his back as he stared up at the closet's ceiling.

"Nee-san…" Kon whined, rubbing his cuddly soft face. He sat up, looking briefly at the closet door as he heard a muffled cough on the other side. Sliding the door open quietly, he noticed Ichigo sitting up at the head of the bed. He was fully dressed for school, but he hadn't pulled his school jacket on yet. What puzzled Kon was how Ichigo was just sitting there, one leg propped up on the bed and the other hanging off the edge. His arm was sitting on his propped leg, his fingers pinching the bridge of his nose with his eyes closed. Ichigo had a bandage on the side of his forehead and one on each of his knuckles. Ichigo's eyes opened; his dark and angry gaze following over to Kon.

Kon opened the closet door fully, hopping out and landing on the bedroom floor with a squeak. He was going to start with his usual yelling that he was so keen on doing every morning with Ichigo when he noticed something gloomy about the boy. Ichigo eyes moved off of Kon, staring blankly at the poster on his wall.

"Ichigo-san?" Kon asked meekly, not sure if should approach him. Ichigo never replied, and Kon frowned, placing his soft little hands on his sides. "Are you feeling well, Ichigo-san? You look like shit."

"Leave me the _fuck_ alone," Ichigo seethed, turning his face to the window.

Kon cringed. He even _sounded_ like shit. But the tone of his voice was all the warning he needed, so Kon snorted as he hopped out the bedroom window, never looking his direction.

Ichigo sighed as he watched Kon walk across the lawn grumbling to himself. Slumping against the headboard of his bed, Ichigo rubbed his stomach. He was feeling so sick this morning… it felt like his head was going to explode also. He knew his ailment didn't come from a virus or bad food. It came from a person… one particular person, that is.

He thought about not showing up for school today, but decided against it. After all, this was the day after the night he realized the most important thing in his entire life. He had to show his face at school. He had to see her. One glimpse of her and maybe, he thought, all would be well.

He just had to get himself together. He had a reputation to uphold in school. There was no way he was going to school acting like some lovesick dummy, crying and carrying on like a little girl. _Crying_, Ichigo scoffed as he thought about that. It was eight years ago when he last shed a tear for anyone, and that person meant the world to him. He figured it was only the tension breaking in him from the tumultuous night he had.

Sliding over to the edge of the bed, he grabbed his jacket off the arm of the desk chair. He fumbled with the fabric briefly, still deep in thought. _To think I almost told her I loved her,_ Ichigo thought to himself. _And I was too late… I'm such a fucking jerk. I lost. I fucking lost._

Renji Abarai. That asshole. Ichigo had bested him twice in actual battle and once when they sparred together in the Soul Society. He just couldn't comprehend that Rukia would want someone like that. Ichigo growled lowly in his throat, thinking back at how _undressed_ Renji was when he came to the door. _Probably just finished screwing her too_, Ichigo thought glumly. _It should have been me in her bed; not that tattooed clown._

Ichigo stood, pulling his school jacket on. He buttoned it up halfway, and turned to look at the mirror. He pulled the bandage off his forehead, and decided to keep the ones on his knuckles. They were still a little raw from crawling on that ledge. He exhaled sharply, shaking his head as if he was trying to shake himself awake. "You can do this, Kurosaki," Ichigo told his reflection. He grabbed his book bag and walked downstairs.

* * *

It felt like Ichigo was in a dream when he first got to school. Keigo and Mizuiro ran up to him, talking about what he wasn't sure. The entire school seemed to be on mute; Ichigo just watched their mouths open and close with no sound coming from them. Feeling dazed and weary from the pervious night, he quickly escaped from his chums as he made it to the classroom. As he walked in, he noticed Rukia sitting at her assigned seat, writing. 

Ichigo's palms began to sweat. He gripped the handle of his book bag tightly as he coolly walked in. As he got closer to the little death-god, his heart and stomach began fluttering anxiously. Trying hard to ignore this sudden reaction he was suddenly having around her, Ichigo set his book bag down stood at his desk, staring at her.

_God, she is so beautiful_, Ichigo thought to himself. He mentally kicked himself for not noticing it until now. She was concentrating on her paper so hard she never noticed his presence. Ichigo noticed that as she wrote her tongue was neatly tucked in the corner of her mouth. His mouth opened, so taken with how _hot_ she looked right now. He could envision sucking on that sweet tongue of hers, kissing her so hard it would literally take her breath away. He shook his head again, bringing himself out of his reverie as he cleared his throat to get her attention. When her head snapped up to his direction, he thought his heart was going to pop right out of his chest.

"Oi," Ichigo ground out slowly, and for the life of him he couldn't stop the smirk that curled on the end of his mouth. "What are you doing?"

"My paper for English," Rukia sighed, flicking a stray hair out of her face. "I didn't do my homework last night. Hey… are you okay?"

"Yeah… are you?" Ichigo asked, raising his eyebrows.

Rukia narrowed her eyes, wondering what he was getting at. "…I'm good. What's with the stupid grin on your face?"

Ichigo frowned, not realizing he was actually smiling. "I wasn't grinning. It's called a smirk; totally different from a grin."

"Whatever," Rukia sighed as she turned her attention back to her schoolwork.

Ichigo paused, his eyes still on her as she wrote when he finally asked, "So… how was _your_ night?" Rolling his eyes, he regretted saying that the moment the words fell out his mouth.

Rukia stopped writing, looking up at him oddly. "My night was fine, Ichigo. Why do you ask?"

Setting his jaw, he hunched his shoulders. "No reason. Just asking."

"Well I'm sure you had a reason to ask. So what is it?" Rukia inquired; her tone beginning to sound irritated.

Ichigo stuffed his hands into his pant pockets, and he slowly turned from her, walking to the classroom door. "It's nothing."

"Okay…now I'm annoyed." Rukia fumed, slamming her pencil down on the desk. "Can you please tell me what is wrong?"

Ichigo stopped at the doorway, and then suddenly closed the door, turning around with an angry look on his face. "What's wrong? You tell me on the way home last night that you're going to get reckless with a total stranger, and then show up here the next day like you didn't say it?" He walked up to her, leaning down as he grasped the ends of her desk. "I was worried about you… did it ever occur to you that I might have been worried about you?"

Rukia's expression softened when she heard his concern, and she smiled. Ichigo eyes followed her hands that now brushed the stray hair aside from her face, and he just melted inside. She was simply adorable when she did that.

"I'm sorry… I didn't mean to make you worry," Rukia said softly, looking down at her desk. "I did go out last night… but not for what you think," She leaned forward in her chair, clasping her hands together. "When I came home an old friend was waiting up for me."

Ichigo swallowed thickly. He tried to keep the anger out of his voice at as he managed to sound surprised. "…An old friend?"

"I've known Renji since I was 8," Rukia said as she was now playing with a strand of her hair. Ichigo's eyes were following her every move, and he wondered why the mention of Renji's name made her fingers toy with her hair. "I know you remember him from the Soul Society… well we stayed up all night talking… he's suppose to meet me for lunch today at school. So I won't be on the roof, okay?" Rukia got up from her desk, and walked to the classroom door. "I gotta go to the bathroom, I'll be right back."

As she walked out, Ichigo was still in the same position at her desk. He gripped the ends of the desk so tightly he could have reduced it to splinters.

* * *

School was _not_ good today. 

Ichigo spent most of time in an anger induced fog; his mind replaying the events from the pervious night. He would occasionally glance over at Rukia from time to time, heating up when she licked her lips or chewed on her pencil. His legs would start to bounce nervously as he began to feel himself harden, so he would snap the rubber band he found on the floor on his wrist to distract himself. It perplexed him how his body was suddenly reacting around her… he felt like a maniac. Feeling unrestrained and lovesick were emotions he stayed away from, and feeling them now was driving him crazy.

Lunch finally came around and Ichigo still had no appetite. He did manage to see Rukia meet Renji for lunch in front of the school as he stood on the rooftop, and he clutched his chest. A deep, dull ache emitted there; and he just didn't know what to do about it.

After school was over, Ichigo walked home and laid across his bed. Between the swirl of newfound emotions and the lack of food and sleep made him mentally and physically exhausted. He was glad that he could sleep in the next couple of days since the weekend was here. He finally fell into a fretful sleep only to awake a couple of hours later. He sat up at in his bed, rubbing his eyes as he glanced over at the alarm clock. 7:35 PM. He gasped, remembering that tonight he and Rukia had Shinigami patrol for the evening. He slowly smiled. Finally, he could have some time with her, even if it meant they were killing hallows in the process.

By eight o'clock Ichigo was knocking on Orihime's door, trying not to look too happy be there. Orihime answered the door, pulling her jacket on.

"Oh… Kurosaki-kun!" Orihime exclaimed happily. "How are you?"

"I'm good Hime," Ichigo told her as he stepped inside her tiny apartment. "Is Rukia here?"

"She's upstairs," Orihime replied as she threw her purse over her shoulder. "I'm off to Ishida's… see you later!"

As Orihime walked out, Ichigo looked up at the top of the stairs to see Rukia descending down wearing a black kimono with big red flowers. _She looks stunning_, Ichigo thought. Ichigo gulped nervously, the fluttering of his empty stomach already swimming around in his stomach.

"Hey," Rukia said with a smile. She brushed past him, and he closed his eyes as he took in her flowery scent. "What are you up to?"

"I thought we should get started early on our patrol tonight… Uryu told me killed three hallows last night." He noticed how Rukia stiffened at the mention of 'patrol', but she continued to walk into the living room and sat down on the couch.

"Oh… well I figured that maybe tonight you can handle patrol by yourself," Rukia said as she smoothed out the wrinkles in her kimono.

Ichigo turned around, the pleasant smile disappearing as the scowl returned. "By myself? Why is that?"

"I have plans." Rukia replied.

"Plans… like what kind?"

"I'm having dinner."

Ichigo smirked, walking over to her as he stuffed his hands in his pockets. "I forgot to mention to that tonight's patrol includes that Shokudo you like so much … my treat."

"I'm having dinner _with_ someone," Rukia told him, standing up and walking into the kitchen. Ichigo followed, stopping at the doorway as he watched her grab a glass from out of the cupboard.

"Oh… any someone I know?"

"With my friend."

"Benji?"

"Renji." Rukia said dryly, noting his sarcasm.

"Ah…" Ichigo responded, raising an eyebrow.

"I know should have told you earlier, but he just asked me."

"Well I guess Renji will understand you'll have to cancel."

Rukia set the glass down on the counter, glaring at Ichigo. "Ichigo… I'm _not_ going to cancel." There were a few moments of silence as Ichigo and Rukia stared at each other. He nodded.

"I see… Well I guess that's that." Ichigo said with a hunch of his shoulders. With a rather cocky expression on his face, he turned, heading for the front door.

Rukia ran up to him, turning him a round roughly. "Ichigo? Can you _please_ tell me what is wrong?"

"Why is there anything wrong?" Ichigo began, his tone tinged with anger. "You want to act totally irresponsible and ruin two years of good Shinigami work-"

"_Irresponsible_?" Rukia interrupted him quickly, her tone even angrier. "Is _that_ what you're calling _me_? Is that what you're accusing me of, tell me! Did you give this a lot of thought or did this just pop into your head like everything thing else that's stupid?"

"That's not the same thing!" Ichigo shouted back defensibly.

"You're right it's not the same thing!" Rukia shouted, walking away from him and then turning around. Her face was red with anger, and for once she couldn't remember being so mad at Ichigo as she was right now. "Being irresponsible is something I do once in a century, and it's something that you've turned into an art form!"

Ichigo stomped up to her, his eyes wild with resentment. "Fine… when was the last time I sent you out on patrol alone because I wanted to get-"

"Wanted to get _what_?" Rukia countered, daring him to finish what he was saying. He paused, swallowing hard.

"Nothing." Ichigo spoke softly.

"I'm not sending you out alone. If you don't want to go alone, take somebody with you!" Rukia explained harshly.

"That's not the point." Ichigo argued, shaking his head.

"Take Ishida!" Rukia nearly screamed, infuriated where the conversation was going.

Ichigo stared at her angry face, and sighed as he reluctantly conceded. "Okay… fine." He turned, storming out of the apartment, making sure to slam the door as loud and as childishly as he possibly could.

* * *

"I still think it was rather rude of you to interrupt me and Inoue-san's dinner," Ishida snapped as he pushed his glasses up on the bridge of his nose. "Are you that afraid to fight a hollow by yourself Ichigo?" 

"Shut up," Ichigo snapped bitterly as he looked over the ledge of a skyscraper they were standing on. Ishida was one whiny little bitch. He was having a shitty evening already, might as well let everyone be miserable too. So what? He interrupted Orihime and Ishida's dinner plans and forced him to go patrolling with him, telling him it was a huge hollow not far away. Being the competitive type, Ishida couldn't resist. But now two hours had passed and there was still no sign of the alleged hollow Ichigo reported. Ishida figured it was all a lie to ruin his plans for the evening.

"Look," Ishida said vehemently, pointing his finger at Ichigo. "If that damn hollow doesn't appear in the next ten seconds, I'm going home." He waited for Ichigo's response, but it never came. Ichigo still had his back turned to him, the wind blowing through his Shinigami robes. Puzzled, Ishida walked around to look at him, and he seemed to be staring off into the night, his hand clutching his chest. "Is there something wrong, Ichigo?" Ishida asked cautiously.

"I'm fine," Ichigo spoke, not really sounding like himself.

"Is there something you'd like to talk about… you know, man-to-man?" Ishida asked.

Ichigo looked over at the Quincy, and chuckled when Ishida said '_man-to-man_.' He frowned, turning his gaze back to the city. Minutes went by before he spoke in a melancholy voice. "When did you tell Hime-san you loved her?"

Bewildered with his question, Ishida furrowed his eyebrows. "What concern is that to you?" Ichigo looked over at him again and Ishida noted how his face looked dare he say, _desperate_ for an answer.

"I wanna know… how do you know when it's the right time to tell someone you love them?" Ichigo asked, and Ishida sworn for a moment that Ichigo's tone was so sad… tormented almost.

Clearing his throat sharply, he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose before replying. "I told her the minute I knew. It's very important to inform the person right away, you know. Keeping it to yourself can be quite regrettable."

"Tell me about it," Ichigo muttered as he sighed.

"Is there someone you're in love with, Ichigo?" Ishida prodded, raising a curious eyebrow. No response. "Well… all in good time, I suppose." Ishida stood next to Ichigo, looking out over the city. He gasped and pointed down to the street when he spotted something. "Hey… look over here."

"A hollow?" Ichigo asked, finally glad to be distracted by something else.

"Isn't that Rukia and Renji?"

Ichigo head snapped over to Ishida's direction, franticly looking down on the street where Ishida pointed. He then saw Rukia, still wearing the black kimono with the big red flowers from earlier that evening. Her arm was hooked around the tall red-headed and well dressed warrior Renji Abarai. They were walking into a restaurant- and by gods what a coincidence- in the very same vicinity where Ichigo was patrolling.

"Uryu, do me a favor," Ichigo said with much excitement in his voice.

"Coming out here tonight was one favor too many, Ichigo. I'm not-" Ishida began but stopped mid sentence when he saw the anxious look in Ichigo's eyes.

"I thought you told me it's important to tell them right away," Ichigo said with his voice nearly breaking. Ishida eyes widened with surprise as he looked down on the city street where Rukia was, and then back at Ichigo. "_Please_."

"What is it?" Ishida asked easily, now knowing the nature of Ichigo's distress.

"Finish my patrol for me tonight. That's all I ask." Ichigo tried not to plead.

After a brief pause Ishida sighed, rolling his eyes. "Alright, Kurosaki. But you owe me one. Two, in fact."

Slapping him hard on his shoulder, Ichigo grinned. "Thanks man." As he began to leap off the roof, Ishida who was now nursing his shoulder called out to him.

"Kurosaki," Ishida said, and Ichigo turned around. "Make sure you tell her."

Ichigo only smiled, giving him a thumbs up as he leapt off.

* * *

After returning his soul to his human form that was discreetly hidden in a nearby vacant warehouse, Ichigo dashed down the street to the restaurant he saw Rukia and Renji enter.

He stopped at the door, catching his breath and running his fingers through his hair before he entered. He walked in hurriedly, his eyes darting all over the establishment as he looked for Rukia. The maitre d' soon approached him, his hands clasped neatly at his chest.

"Sir I'm sorry but you cannot dine here." The maitre d' told him in a snippy tone.

"Why not?" Ichigo flustered, not needing another roadblock from his primary mission.

"Gentlemen wear jackets in this restaurant sir." The maitre d' informed him.

Reaching down into his pocket, Ichigo brought up about 4600 yen (nearly all his allowance from the last two weeks) and inconspicuously placed it in the maitre d's palm. "Have you seen Mr. Yen around here tonight, then?"

Stuffing the money into his pocket inside his jacket, the man smiled. "No, I haven't but I can give you a jacket and you can go look for yourself sir."

"Splendid." Ichigo said dryly.

The maitre d' snapped his fingers sharply, and another man walked up with a jacket thrown over his arm. Ichigo grabbed it, throwing it on quickly.

"Does the jacket fit well sir?" the maitre d' politely asked.

It must have been a little boy's jacket. The sleeves rode up his arms, the shoulders hunched up like it was about to give away. Ichigo brought his arms down into each other, stretching his back and the sound of the jacket's material ripping apart was quite evident. "It fits just well now. Thanks."

It didn't take him long to spot Rukia and Renji in a small, secluded booth, both of them sitting rather close to each other. Renji was whispering something in her ear and it made Rukia giggle, her cheeks reddening. He took in a deep breath and approached them leisurely. Rukia's eyes finally drifted over to his direction and surprisingly she sat up, moving a little from Renji.

"Ichigo." Rukia spoke with much wonder in her voice.

Ichigo nervously rubbed his hands together, staring at both of them seated there. "Evening… hi."

Rukia expected him to say something else, so lifting her eyebrows she said, "Ichigo?"

"Forgive me, I'm sorry… sorry to interrupt your dinner," Ichigo began, his tongue suddenly swelling in his mouth. "It's just ah…there's kinda an emergency."

"Emergency?" Rukia quickly asked. "What kind of emergency?"

Ichigo starched his head, squinting his eyes. "Well…"

"Oh! I'm sorry," Rukia gasped, noting her rudeness. "Renji this is Ichigo Kurosaki my Shinigami partner, Ichigo this is Renji Abarai. I'm sure you two remember each other, right?"

"Yeah, we actually saw each other last—" Ichigo began, but Renji stuck his hand out in front of him.

"Yeah, from the soul society… how you doing?" Renji said loudly, and Ichigo warily took his hand, wondering why he didn't want Rukia to know he came by her house last night.

"Nice to meet you too." Ichigo said slowly.

"Listen, why don't I excuse myself and let you two discuss whatever's going on." Renji offered.

"It's not necessary for you to go," Rukia seemed to whine, making Ichigo mad at how she was acting around him.

Standing, Renji patted her on the shoulder. "It's okay. Have a seat Ichigo; I'll be back in a few minutes." He gave Rukia a quick wink of the eye before he left the table.

Once they were alone, Rukia smiled at her friend, and patted the seat next to her. Ichigo smirked and sat down. There was a brief silence before either of them spoke.

"Well." Ichigo said nervously.

"Well." Rukia repeated, clasping her hands together on the table, staring at him patiently.

"So that's your old friend Renji." Ichigo asked.

"That's my old friend Renji." Rukia replied, noting his mockery.

"I had an old friend Renji once. Kinda looked like him too," Ichigo said with a bit of mirth in voice. "He had heartworm really bad so we had put him down."

"What is the emergency Ichigo?" Rukia asked, her tone agitated.

"I'm getting to it," Ichigo assured her, nodding his head, never looking her in the eye.

"There is no emergency, is there Ichigo?" Rukia spoke gravely.

"Yes there is. There is an emergency." Ichigo repeated again. He couldn't get his damn leg from shaking from under the table…

"Alright," Rukia drawled out slowly, her patience wearing thin.

Pausing briefly, Ichigo grabbed the nearest glass of wine and gulped it down quickly. Yeah, he was underage, but he was no stranger to having a drink. And he needed one badly now. Rukia just watched him, bemused at how jittery he suddenly became.

"Well… I kind of _realized_ something last night." Ichigo began, still not looking at her.

"…What?" Rukia asked, her curiosity now peaked.

"I made a decision. A _big_ decision," Ichigo added, finally looking over at the raven-haired beauty, his cheeks flushed. He quickly looked away from her, ashamed of what she might have seen in his eyes. "God, Rukia."

Rukia fretfully smiled at his vulnerability, trying to search his eyes but he shielded them away. "…What Ichigo?"

Ichigo looked at her again; this time ready to say what needed to be said. "Look, what I'm trying to say is I-"

"Hi," Renji said coolly, making them both jump. They both stared at him awkwardly before Ichigo slid down in his seat a little and Rukia tucked her hair behind her ear, smiling. "Did I come back too soon?"

"No," Rukia and Ichigo said in unison, diverting their eyes off of Renji nervously.

"In fact the meeting is over," Ichigo said with a placid smile, getting up from his seat. Renji never sat down, and they both seemed to stare each other down for a moment; sizing the other one up. Rukia notices the sudden apprehension between the two, and she bit her lip, thinking hard of something to say.

"Would you like to stay for a drink?" Renji asked Ichigo, breaking the tension between them.

"I wouldn't want to impose…" Ichigo told him as he stuffed his hands inside of his pockets.

"You're not imposing, I insist," Renji sat down next to Rukia, nodding to Ichigo to sit.

He hesitated for a moment, catching a brief glance of Rukia's pleading face to not follow through. He hunched his shoulders, giving a slight chuckle as he said, "Maybe for just _one_ drink."

Rukia sighed, pursing her lips together as she sat back against the leather red cushions. "Great." As Ichigo sat back down opposite of Rukia, she couldn't help but wonder what were the chances of the two men that she was now sandwiched between both being here tonight. "This is good… I wanted you two to meet again; I didn't think it would be _tonight_… but this is nice."

There were a few small chortles between them before it died down to an awkward silence. Getting an extra glass, Renji filled all their glasses and they made a brief toast. Rukia's eyes lit up with a topic for conversation as she took a small sip from her glass. "You know Renji has been promoted back to Vice-Captain."

"Really?" Ichigo said as took a gulp of the house wine again.

"It's really no big deal, Rukia." Renji chided.

"It is a big deal Renji," Rukia said placing a hand on his briefly. "You're only a step away from captain now and there are two captain positions open!"

"Maybe you can try out for one of the captain spots Ichigo," Renji told him as he took a drink.

"I can't do it; I have to finish up school you know, it being my last year and all." Ichigo replied as he jiggled the wine glass from each hand.

Renji nodded, taking another sip. He looked down at his drink, nudging Rukia. "This drink reminds me of when we had that training up in the Tongan Mountains south of the Rukongai. Remember that, Rukia?"

Rukia laughed, covering her mouth as she thought about what he said. "How can I forget the Tongan Mountains? That was something!" They both chuckled together, and Ichigo noticed how they seem to blush.

"What's so special about the Tongan Mountains?" Ichigo asked, inwardly irritated that he wasn't part of the conversation.

"It was towards the end of the semester when our class got assigned to go to the Tongan Mountains for hollow training," Renji started off with much enthusiasm in his voice. "We camped out on that mountain for five days. On our last night Rukia twisted her ankle badly while fighting this hollow… and instead of holding up the entire class I offered to carry her back down to the Soul Society. She wasn't heavy or anything… it was all the camping gear we had that made the trip down so strenuous." Renji looked over at Rukia, a small and yet obscure smile on his face. "But we made it down… didn't we Rukia?"

Ichigo didn't like the cryptic tone in Renji's voice. And as he watched how Rukia blushed, lowering her head shyly as Renji gazed at her it was quite obvious that something occurred between them while they made their hike back down that mountain.

"Yeah… two days and two nights, but we made it." Rukia spoke softly, seeming to look lost in nostalgia as she lifted her head up to smile at the red-headed Shinigami.

Ichigo's eyes narrowed down to mere slits, hating how they just ignored him as they swooned looking at each other… revolting. Taking another huge swig of his house wine, he looked at the couple darkly as he managed to say, "Seemed like fun."

"What was?" Rukia asked quickly, hearing the suspicion in his voice.

"The hike down the mountain… what else would I be referring to? Unless there _was_ something else…" Ichigo quipped, his head already spinning from the effects of the alcohol.

"Maybe you've had too much to drink, Ichigo," Renji warned him, amused with his sudden outburst. "You are still a school kid-"

"But I'm still a man, just like _you_," Ichigo spat out, his light spirited mood quickly evaporating. "I don't have hundreds of tattoos on my body or my fucking hair up in a sissy ponytail, but I'm all man. Fucking believe it."

"Ichigo!" Rukia exclaimed, shocked he was behaving so badly.

"I wasn't calling you a child, Ichigo… but you're acting like one now." Renji teased, jabbing Rukia in her shoulder. "He can't take a fucking joke!"

"Can you both stop using that language in here?" Rukia pleaded, looking over her shoulder at the other patrons. "This is a fancy restaurant. Act civilized."

"Spoken like a true noble," Ichigo spoke, his tone cruel as the effects of the alcohol gave him courage to say things he only dared to think. "You think you're some high class shit, don't you Rukia? You curse just as bad as we do!"

"There's a time and a place for everything Ichigo," Rukia spoke through gritted teeth, trying hard not to yell. "Shut up."

"Let's get out of here, shall we?" Renji finally said, throwing his hands up into the air. Rukia frowned, not only was her evening ruined, but Renji had managed to get slightly drunk as well.

Rukia sighed, throwing her napkin down onto her empty dinner plate. "I suppose so…"

As Ichigo stumbled out onto the sidewalk, he grabbed a hold of the bus stop sign on the corner. He felt good; but his head was spinning like a damn top. Clutching the sign tighter, he shut his eyes tight, hoping the vertigo would leave him. He finally opened his eyes, looking at Rukia and Renji chatting quietly with each other, and then she looked over at him, pity laced across her face at his drunken display. Renji reached out and rubbed her arm, and he heard him tell her it would be okay. He walked over to Ichigo, who was now letting of the sign as he attempted to stand up straight.

"Come on Ichigo… I'll walk you home buddy." Renji proposed.

"I don't need anyone to walk me home," Ichigo slurred waving his hands. "You walk Rukia home, I'll be fine."

"Ichigo," Rukia said softly as she walked up to him her with concern in her eyes. "Let Renji walk you home. I've called myself a taxi… so I'll be fine."

Ichigo smiled, placing a heavy hand on her shoulder. "You always look out for me, Rukia…" He looked over at Renji with heavy eyelids. "Isn't she the greatest?"

"Yeah, she is." Renji replied.

"This is a good guy, Rukia." Ichigo shouted out to Rukia, slapping him hard on his back as they began to walk down the sidewalk. Rukia only waved, watching her two friends walk away. Sighing, she felt grateful that the evening was over, but she now pondered on what Ichigo was trying to tell her earlier.

* * *

Pulling up the closed window, Renji climbed inside before pulling a very drunk and very limp Ichigo through. He was glad his bed was right over the window, and Ichigo plopped face first onto the mattress. 

"Hanging in there, Ichigo?" Renji asked after noticing he wasn't making a sound. Frowning, he poked Ichigo in the shoulder, and he groaned. "Are you okay?"

"I'm gonna hurl," Ichigo rasped out, trying his best to pull himself up on shaky arms. Renji looked around the room, and saw the wastepaper basket under the desk. He quickly rushed over and grabbed it just in a nick of time as he heard Ichigo dry heave. Setting the basket down, Ichigo was now sitting up on the edge of bed. He pulled it close to him, leaning forward as the vomit spewed from his mouth.

After vomiting for what seemed like for several minutes, he weakly fell backwards on the bed. Renji walked over and picked his feet up, sliding his legs around until they lay at the foot of the bed. Crinkling up his nose at the wastepaper basket, he patted Ichigo on the leg. "Keep that basket near you in case you gotta go again, okay?"

As Renji began to climb back out the window, Ichigo called out to him. "Hey, Renji." His voice was gravelly and sluggish, almost like he was in between unconsciousness. "You're alright man."

Renji smiled. "Try not to fall out of bed. Night."

Renji was an earshot out the window just when he heard Ichigo mutter, "Rat bastard." He froze; looking over his shoulder at the man lying there, obviously passed out and snoring. He narrowed his eyes at the Shinigami as he closed the window, climbing down the Kurosaki Clinic building and making his way down the dark city street.

* * *

Rukia sat on the edge of her bed, nervously playing with a string on her nightgown. It wasn't anything fancy or revealing- just a simple cotton oversized tee that she lounged around in on the weekends. In the background she had her CD player on, the music playing lightly as she thought about what she was about to do- and with whom. Everything was so perfect tonight- Renji came to her door with flowers, they laughed all the way over to the restaurant and he even managed to give her a quick peck on the lips while she snuggled close in the booth. At that moment she knew what she was doing was right, it felt good to be around Renji, and it was time they rekindled what they almost started so many years ago. 

Then Ichigo came and chaos ensued.

_Why did he come there, tonight of all nights?_ Rukia thought to herself. Just looking at his face crashed all her expectations of what was going to happen tonight. _Damn you Ichigo, for ruining my evening __**and**__ my piece of mind!_

Then there was something weird about how he was acting, too. He was nervous- a trait she never saw in him. His face was getting all flushed and he was jittery when he was trying to tell her something- but what was it? And then he began drinking- yet another thing she'd never seen him do. It was like he was drowning his sorrows, right in front of her.

But over what?

A small knock on her door drew her out of her thoughts, and the door opened. Renji poked his head in, a warm smile on his lips.

"Are you decent?" Renji said in a playful tone.

"Yeah, come on in knucklehead." Rukia laughed. Renji stepped inside, quietly shutting the door behind him. He leaned against the door, gazing at Rukia as he titled his head to one side.

"You know he's quiet a character," Renji noted, referring to Ichigo.

"Who? Justin Timberlake?" Rukia asked, the music _until the end of time _playing on the CD player.

Renji laughed, pushing himself off the door as he placed his hands on his hips. "Yeah… him." Rukia smiled shyly, putting her head down to cover her laugh when she heard him speak again. "Come here."

Rukia raised her head up, looking at Renji. All the humor had left his features; he now stared at her with wanting intensity. She hesitated to move at first; but then she stood and walked slowly across the room to him. As she stood in front of him, her heart beat furiously as his hand reached out and caressed her face. She leaned into his touch, closing her eyes. Renji's other hand rested on her shoulder, which led up to the back of her neck. He gently pulled her towards him, and they kissed. This was not like the kiss she got at the restaurant. This kiss was hungry and passionate. As he backed her to the bed, he slid his hands across her ribs under her tee, making Rukia shiver with anticipation. They both fell back on the bed, and Renji pulled the tee over Rukia's head, exposing her naked body to him.

* * *

Rukia laid there tangled in the bed linens, her head propped up on her pillow as Renji was lying partially on her, his head resting on her stomach. Renji was gentle as he made love to her, in spite of fact it was over before she could get warmed up. She was so close to climax when she felt him shudder with his thrusts, so to ensure that he wouldn't feel bad about it later- she faked. 

He rolled off of her exhausted, and Rukia's body still tingled for more. She knew the effects of the alcohol didn't help him or their bout; but at the present moment their lovemaking wasn't the primary problem.

Even now as she lay entangled between the sheets with another man, her thoughts still plagued her. She looked down at Renji, his hair lying down around his back and shoulders as he held on to her possessively. My dry spell is over…I should be satisfied…right? Rukia thought to herself sullenly. Her eyes drifted over to the bedroom window, noticing how the stars twinkled in the night sky. With a fully awake mind, she knew rest was not coming soon. One thought, or one person kept coming to mind.

_Ichigo_.

**::To Be Continued::**

**

* * *

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_Shokudo -Jpanese-style cafeterias_

_4600 yen - 40.29 US dollars_


	3. A Fine Time

**Author's Note: **Before anyone sends out any death threats, this is an IchiRuki story! I know a lot of readers were ahem, _shocked_ that Rukia did what she did in the last chapter, but please read on…

**Tell Her**

**Chapter Three**

_A Fine Time_

She was so damn nervous.

Clutching her books tightly, Rukia walked along the sidewalk that led to school, feeling so uneasy about coming there today.

She should have been happy. Euphoric. Ecstatic. But as she began to approach the front steps of the high school, Rukia could only feel one true emotion-

Dread.

Last night she had given herself to Renji. Before she could reconsider, their clothes were off and Renji had his body pinning her down on the bed, his sloppy anxious kisses all over her neck and shoulders. Rukia had hoped that Renji had improved since their first time of heated awkward touches and inexperienced hunches. He was better; he seemed to have more control and focus, and he even managed to last longer than expected. But before she could reach climax Renji came- and sleep followed suit.

So Rukia laid there for hours wide awake, wondering what and hell would cause her to sleep with Renji again. And then it was another issue eating away at her:

Ichigo Kurosaki.

When she got home that evening alone she was furious at Ichigo for interrupting her dinner date. All she really wanted was Renji to fuck her senseless so she couldn't think of anything else. No such luck. Now as she laid there all unfulfilled and confused, the recollection of Ichigo trying to tell her something came to mind. She remembered how nervous he was, how he blushed, shying away from her at one time. Rukia remembered how he looking away from her, his cheeks tinged red as he gushed out, _"God, Rukia."_

What the _hell_ did he want to tell her?

She fell asleep for a few hours only to awake before dawn, still horrified about what she had done with Renji. Rukia suddenly felt the need to flee from the situation, to just disappear and evaporate from any existence than to face the awkward position she placed herself in right now. Glancing at the alarm clock that now showed 7:45 in the morning, she pried herself from Renji's grasp, rushing to the bathroom for a shower. Renji tried his best to gain entry, telling her quite frankly that he wanted a 'quickie' before she left for school. After showing and getting dressed, Rukia abruptly opened the bathroom door, facing a very naked Renji Arabrai. She told him that it was out of the question and she must go to school, reassuring him that she would return later in the day.

Rukia tried pulling on the school door, but it wouldn't budge. She tired a few more times, and then pressed her hand against the glass to peer inside. Not a single soul was there. She ran back down the stairs and looked at the faculty parking lot, and noticed that was empty as well. "Shit," Rukia muttered to herself as she sat down on the steps, brushing her hair out of her face. It was Saturday. No school.

Not wanting to face Renji right now, Rukia decided to walk around to think. She strolled to the city park, sat under the shade of a huge Sakura blossom and finished up her homework. When her stomach began to growl she found the nearest vending cart that sold rice cakes and miso soup.

It was noon when she found herself walking towards Ichigo's neighborhood.

She knew that maybe it wasn't a good idea just showing up unannounced, but she had to know what he wanted to tell her. Climbing carefully up the side of the building, Rukia looked into Ichigo's window and saw him laying on his back on his bed, shirtless with the sheets pulled down near his waist. Rukia paused for a moment, smiling warmly as she watched him. It had been a while since she saw him fast asleep. The features on his face were so relaxed, with his mouth partially open a soft snore buzzed from his lips. His left hand was tucked under this pillow, and the right hand laid on his flat stomach. Rukia swallowed thickly; thinking how she had never seen his chest bare before. For a lean fellow Ichigo was well toned; his pectorals and abdomen were curved with muscles that disappeared under the sheets.

Suddenly Ichigo stretched, his right hand sliding under the sheets to rub the very evident bulge that laid between his legs. Aghast with his sudden movement Rukia nearly fell out the window. She gave a small cough to get his attention as his eyes opened, and once he finally looked her direction his hand stopped rubbing himself, quickly removing his hand. Ichigo sprang up, and groaned when he felt his head throb.

"Afternoon," Rukia smiled, letting herself into his room as she stepped on to the bed and to the floor. She noticed his clothes from the night before were thrown all over the room.

"So it is," Ichigo managed to say. "What's up?"

"Oh… nothing," Rukia said plainly as she inspected his room, flipping through papers on his desk, pulling open the closet she once called home. "I just wanted to make sure you were alright."

Ichigo propped his pillows behind his back and rubbed his eyes. "My head is splitting, but I'll survive," As he rested against the pillows, he told her as she sat down in his chair that sat at the desk. "Renji got me home, I puked, I passed out. Early this morning I got up and showered, cleaned up the mess I made in the trash can and I fell back to sleep again… " Ichigo yarned, folding his arms under his head, his twitching biceps catching Rukia's eye. "And now you're here."

"You seem to have the drinking capacity of a fish last night." Rukia noted, a smirk on her face as she spun around in circles in his chair.

"Hm…last night," Ichigo spoke as his eyes floated to the rafters towards the ceiling. "A fine time was had by all, wasn't it?" Rukia stopped spinning the chair instantly, giving him a guilty glare.

"What fine time? Who?" Rukia asked quickly; her tone sounding uncertain and paranoid.

"Well I had a fine time," Ichigo raised an eyebrow, looking at her from the corner of his eye. "Didn't you?"

"It depends on _what_ the fine time was," Rukia muttered, her eyes traveling over Ichigo's sheets that were crumpled around his waist, his midriff scarcely visible. Her eyes fastened on the large bump under the wrinkled sheet, and her cheeks grew hot. Diverting her eyes away, Rukia snorted with disgust. "And I'm assuming you were speaking of dinner, which was fine until you showed up."

Ichigo smiled darkly as he watched her eyes wonder over his body, and how they widened a little when she gazed at his crotch. _Yep, it's big just like you imagine,_ he thought smugly as he saw her look away quickly. In a playful mood, Ichigo decided to see how far he could take it. "Oi…look the other way," Ichigo informed her, throwing his legs over the side of the bed.

"What for?" Rukia asked despairingly.

"I've gotta piss, and unfortunately I'm naked under here. So if you don't want to see morning wood, turn around."

Rukia frowned, puzzled with the term he used. "…Morning wood?" Without warning Ichigo began to stand, the sheet falling off his hips. Rukia eyes widened for the second time that morning as she made an _'eeep'_ sound, spinning around in the chair in an attempt to not see him.

Ichigo chuckled, standing there stark naked and rock hard as he looked at the back of Rukia's head. It was quite arousing to just stand there, right in the presence of the woman he loved without a scrap of clothing on his back. All he had to do was walk over, spin her around and confess his undying love to her in all his nakedness. As pleasing as that sounded; it was easier thought than done.

"When are you going to the damned bathroom?" Rukia fumed, slamming her fist on the desk. This wasn't funny, not in the least. And she knew he was just standing there, just daring her to turn around. But what if she did? What would happen next? Seeing Ichigo's penis wouldn't be the only one she's seen. Hell, she just seen one last night.

But this _was_ Ichigo's penis.

"You're so damn modest for someone who had a _fine_ time last night," Ichigo quipped, turning on his heel as he made way for the bathroom.

"I don't know what the hell-" Rukia sputtered as she turned around- catching a glimpse of Ichigo's naked rear end. She quickly shielded her eyes with one hand, spinning back around to the desk. "…I don't know what the hell you're talking about with this fine time shit!" She yelled in her frustration. When she heard the bathroom door close and the tinkling sounds of water splashing into the toilet she knew it was safe to turn around again.

After a few minutes the bathroom door swung open, and Rukia slapped her hand over her eyes. She could hear Ichigo laugh; his voice creeping close to her. She gritted her teeth with anger- angry that he was playing this game with her and angry that she wanted to see him. All she could imagine that if she uncovered her eyes Ichigo would be giggling mischievously as he stood there, stroking his meaty dick in his hand. "Ichigo!" Rukia growled, growing more pissed by the second as he laughed at her distress.

"I'm decent, baka," Ichigo cackled. Rukia uncovered her eyes, narrowing them viciously as she noticed he was leaning against the doorframe of the bathroom, his arms folded across this still naked chest, and her eyes briefly panned down to his dark blue cotton shorts he now wore. "Disappointed?"

Rukia huffed with her fury and distaste. "Hardly. You've got me so upset with you now I nearly forgot what I came over here for."

"I knew it was some reason you'd come over here," Ichigo sighed as he pushed himself off the doorframe, walking across the room to gather up his clothes that were all over the floor. "Since you've moved you hardly visit."

"Now you're being evasive," Rukia countered, catching herself watching him bend over, gazing at his freckled backside. "Don't distract me with an argument when I want to discuss something important."

"Then discuss it," Ichigo snapped, turning around to face her. All the humor had left his voice as his ever -present scowl returned. "'Cause I not in the mood to argue either."

Rukia paused, pursing her lips together as she looked down at her lap. "Well… last night you said you had something you needed to tell me…something about some _big decision_ you've made." Rukia looked up at Ichigo, her face serious with her question. "What was it?" She didn't see him react right away; he seemed way too calm. Ichigo blinked, his eyes widening as he figured what she was talking about.

"Oh _that_," Ichigo began as he tossed his dirty clothes into the hamper.

"Yeah… _that_." Rukia repeated behind him, suddenly feeling her pulse beating in her ears.

Ichigo sat down on the edge of his bed, stretching with a slight yawn. "Kon."

Rukia frowned. Raising an eyebrow, she slowly spoke. "…Kon?"

"Yeah…Kon," Ichigo repeated. "I think it's time we informed the Soul Society about Kon and recommend him to be reinstated as an official mod soul."

Rukia's shoulders slumped. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. This was the important, urgent thing Ichigo was going to tell her? Never in a million years would she have guessed that this emergency, this _big decision_ Ichigo suddenly made was about Kon. She was standing up out of the chair, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Wait a minute," Rukia chuckled, still not believing what she heard. "You mean to tell me that you interrupted my dinner last night because of _Kon_?"

"I know it was rather presumptuous of me," Ichigo explained plainly, taking another yawn like what they were discussing was so trival. "But you gotta admit; Kon has been there for us. He is a vital part of our team. He deserves the credit."

Rukia folded her arms, snapping her mouth shut when she just wanted to scream _'you asshole!'_ at him. She shook her head again- still in denial of what she heard. Ichigo's expression didn't falter, which confirmed what he was saying was the truth.

Wasn't it?

"You have done some stupid stuff before Ichigo," Rukia scoffed as she shook her head. "But this tops it."

"So are you going to think about it, and let me know what you think?" Ichigo asked.

"Yeah," Rukia laughed, biting the inside of her cheek. "I'll think about it."

"Great. Well as much I would love to chat some more, I have to get some shut eye before patrol tonight." Ichigo stood, pulling the flat sheet off the bed so he could straighten it up.

"I forgot about patrol," Rukia mumbled to herself as she began to climb out of the window. "I'll see you tonight."

"You're going on patrol tonight?" Ichigo asked her, his eyebrows furrowed. Rukia glared over her shoulder at him.

"Why wouldn't I go on patrol?" Rukia snapped.

"Gee I don't know… maybe you and Renji had some plans. I can handle it myself, you know." Ichigo told her, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

"Renji is Shinigami; he knows that duty comes before anything else." Rukia stated firmly.

_You didn't say that shit last night,_ Ichigo thought to himself. "Whatever." Ichigo said with a small shrug. "If you don't show, it's cool…really."

"Don't try to patronize me Ichigo," Rukia said with anger clearly stinging her vocal cords. "I said I would patrol tonight and I am. Besides, if I go out on another date you'll just show up and ruin it again, so I'll pass."

"Alright… later then." Ichigo snickered, amused at her sudden livid display. She leapt out of the window without another word, and Ichigo flopped back on his bed, letting out a tired sigh as he smiled.

"And they say reverse physiology doesn't work." Ichigo laughed aloud.

* * *

Rukia returned to Orihime's house a half hour later, walking in to find Renji sitting at the breakfast bar, drinking a glass of juice. A little juice dribbled down his chin as he sputtered watching her walk in, and he stood up, placing the glass down on the counter as she ran up to her. 

Rukia put on a small, convincing smile. She really didn't want to see him right now, but she lived here. "Hey Renji."

"Where have you been all day?" Renji said half excitedly, his voice laced with irritation. "Orihime said school was closed today."

"I know, I know," Rukia said tiredly, dropping her books on the couch. "After I realized that I decided to take a walk. Time just got away from me. Sorry." Rukia gave Renji a broad smile, jabbing him in the arm. "Worried about me?"

Renji's hardened stare softened, and he pulled Rukia close to him. He towered over her as his hair hung on his shoulders still. "I was… but not now," Renji muttered sexily as he lowered his head down and kissed her hard on the mouth. He broke the kiss abruptly, looking down at her with lust in his eyes. "I didn't get a chance to make love to you this morning. Even though we couldn't top what happened last night…"

_Couldn't top it?_ Rukia thought to herself, recalling how he fell asleep the second he came. She nearly laughed in his face. "Well you can make it up to me later, okay?" Rukia spoke softly, rolling a strand of his red hair between her fingers.

Renji growled low in his throat as he smirked down at her, a playful glint in his eye. "Later? How's about right now…" Renji nipped at her neck, making Rukia give out an unexpected squeak. "I want you."

"Renji…I can't. Not right now," Rukia pleaded with him, pressing a hand to his chest. "I have patrol tonight, so I need to get some rest."

"Patrol, huh?" Renji scoffed, releasing her from her grasp. "You're going out with _him_, aren't you?"

"Him? Or do you mean Ichigo?" Rukia replied dryly, not impressed with his sudden jealous reaction.

"Don't get me wrong, he's an alright guy. But last night his spiritual pressure was so _hostile_… it was the same way you feel someone's murderous intent in Soul Society," Renji explained as he rubbed his chin. "Didn't you feel it during dinner?"

Rukia shook her head, folding her arms. "Well he wanted to kill you before, what's the difference now? For God's sake Renji… you're just imagining all that. He's my Shinigami partner, nothing more."

"And what am I to you then?" Renji asked lowly, his tone laced with hurt.

"Don't press the issue." Rukia scolded him with a frown. "You're overreacting, like you always do Renji… one of the main reasons why I stop getting intimate with you." He grabbed her again, pulling her close to him as he hugged her. Rukia's initial response was to fight against him, but she noticed how he caressed her back softly. She pulled back, gazing up at his solemn face.

"I just missed you Rukia, that's all," Renji spoke lowly. "When we said we would try again, I was excited… and then we made love last night and this morning you left so abruptly I didn't know what to think."

Feeling guilty, Rukia reached up and caressed his face, making his eyes light up. "I didn't mean to make you worry," Rukia began, feeling his body relax under her touch. "It's just weird being involved with someone again. It's going to take me some time to adjust to all this."

"It's okay, I understand." Renji nodded, rubbing the sides of her arm as he pressed his lips against her forehead. "I don't mean to push you away."

"Take a nap with me," Rukia asked him, taking her hand in his as she walked upstairs. She noticed how he smirked devilishly, tightening the grasp of her hand. "_Only_ a nap, Renji."

Renji laughed lightly. "Whatever you say…just as long as I can be with you."

* * *

So far the evening was starting off slow. Ichigo and Rukia had made their routine rounds designated for their patrol and found no hollow activity so far. As they took a break on a rooftop looking over the city park, Rukia checked her communicator for reported hollow activity. 

"You getting anything?" Ichigo asked, straightening his belt on his Shinigami robes.

Flipping her communicator shut, Rukia sighed as she sat Indian style on the black top. "No Hallow activity detected."

"Uryu said it was slow last night, so I'm not surprised." Ichigo said as he threw a rock.

Rukia didn't respond, she only looked at Ichigo standing there pitching rocks off the rooftop. His zanpakutō was carefully wrapped behind him in those white bandages, and she wondered why it never fell out of its place.

"Is it heavy?" Rukia asked, making Ichigo turn around and look at her oddly. She pointed as she stuck her communicator in her belt. "…Your zanpakutō, I mean."

"Zangestu is light as a feather to me." Ichigo replied, quickly unsheathing it from it bandages, and Rukia gasped as the white wrapping seemed to retract and become smaller at the hilt.

"So you've never been cut by it?" Rukia inquired, standing up and walking over to him.

"I trust Zangestu, so it will never cut me. He relies on me as I rely on him." Twisting his wrist with no effort at all, Ichigo held his large sword out and made a jabbing strike at the air, the shine of the blade shimmering even in the darkness of the evening. He looked over his arm at Rukia, and placing the sword down he held the hilt out towards her. "You want to hold it?"

"Can I?" Rukia asked, her voice sounding pleased that he would give her the privilege.

"Sure… but I want to tell you it may be a little heavy for you." Ichigo informed her.

Rukia snorted. "You just said Zangestu is light as a feather," Rukia grabbed a hold of the hilt, and tried to pull the sword up towards herself, but it wouldn't budge. "What the hell…?" She groaned as she now grabbed the hilt with both hands, and once Ichigo let it go the weight of his zanpakutō leaned in on Rukia and it suddenly fell out of her grasp making a loud thud as it hit the gravel.

"Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry Ichigo!" Rukia gasped, rushing over in attempt to pick it up.

"Don't worry, it's alright." Ichigo assured her as he walked over and picked Zangestu up with one hand, throwing it over one shoulder with no effort at all. He placed one hand on his hip and looked at Rukia with a smirk on his face. "He's been through quite a lot; so falling into some dirt won't hurt him."

Rukia throat went dry. She couldn't say anything at the moment as she stared at Ichigo in his stance, the same one he always held when he was about to fight or measure up his opponent. Her cheeks grew hot again. Why and the hell did he look so… good-looking standing there like that?

Wielding a huge sword like that was intriguing.

Having enormous strength like his was captivating.

Rukia was beginning to find his strong attributes very… attractive.

Rukia was beginning to _find_ Ichigo Kurosaki _attractive_.

"What's the matter?" Ichigo asked Rukia, drawing her out her thoughts.

"Nothing," Rukia replied quickly, turning around pretending to look out into the distance. _That was close_, Rukia thought to herself. _What the hell is happening to me? Why am I even letting this thought enter my mind?_

_Tell her now, _Ichigo told himself. The moment was right. They were alone, no interruptions. _Tell her now before she gets any more involved with Renji_.

"Rukia…" Ichigo called out to her softly as he returned his zanpakutō in its sheath.

Rukia turned around, wondering why the tone in his voice had changed. He sounded serious and yet, gentle. They both stood there silently before she could manage to respond. "Yes Ichigo?"

A soft beeping noise rang from her belt, and Rukia blinked. She reached down into her belt, pulled out her communicator and flipped it open. Ichigo set his jaw; a little annoyed that the moment of opportunity was gone yet again. He watched as Rukia looked down at her communicator and her eyes rose up to meet his.

"Hollow…two blocks from here at the Karakura Elementary school."

Ichigo could feel his skin tingle as he sensed the hollow near by. He and Rukia were moving fast along the city rooftops as they approached the Elementary school. Landing down on at the front entrance, they both pulled out their zanpakutōs and placed their backs to each other in preparation to fight.

"Where the hell is he?" Ichigo ground out angrily.

"Calm down Ichigo, he's in this area… I can feel him." Rukia replied, gripping the handle of her sword tightly.

"Who's that over there?" Ichigo asked Rukia, and she turned his direction to see a small girl running across the school yard. She was crying as she ran; falling down a few times only to scramble up and run at full speed all over again. That's when Ichigo saw the girls broken _inga no kusari_ on her chest.

"That little girl's a _whole_," Ichigo said as began to chase after her. "I bet that what the hollow wants!"

"Ichigo, wait!" Rukia called out to him as she followed.

Ignoring Rukia he continued to chase the little girl, and all at once a huge hollow materialized in front of her. It stood well over 10 feet; its body shape resembling that of a lion with the exception it was all black. It stood on its hind legs, and the mask it wore was jarringly shaped into a cats face; with red markings on its forehead and long, hideous fangs sprouting from its mouth.

The little girl stopped dead in her tracks, holding up a hand to shield herself from the monster as she screamed.

"Why don't pick on someone your own size asshole." Ichigo growled at the hollow.

"My, my…" The hollow hissed; his tone icy and full of malice. "I sense that your soul is much tastier than this little small fry… why don't I just gobble you up instead?"

"You can try kitty-cat," Ichigo sneered, gripping his sword tightly as he charged forward.

"Ruler, mask of flesh and blood, all things in the universe fly! That which names all things at nature, gathering at heat and war, beyond the seas in reverse, take steps to the south!_ Hadu 31, Shakkahou Red Flam Cannon!_" Rukia screamed, holding her palm up at the screeching Hollow. A huge red ball of spiritual energy shot at the hollow's face, exploding loudly at impact. She smiled, thinking to herself that she easily defeated it without unsheathing her zanpakutō. When the red cloud of smoke cleared from the hollow's face, he lunged towards her quickly, smacking Rukia out of way. Her unconscious body rolled to a stop at Ichigo's feet.

"RUKIA!" Ichigo screamed, wanting to drop his sword and pick her up, but the hollow was flying towards him, its shrilling laughter mocking him. Gnashing his teeth, Ichigo snarled as he leapt over Rukia, charging forward at the hollow. His spiritual energy began to pour out him visibly; the misty blue aura enveloped his entire body. His amber colored eyes looked almost grey has he wielded his zanpakutō at the hollow, slicing its right arm off at the shoulder. The hollow shrieked, its head thrashing violently against the pain.

"That limb belongs to me now," Ichigo told him gruffly as he whipped his zanpakutō, flicking the hollow's blood of the blade. "You'll never use it to harm anyone else!"

"I'll kill you, wretched Shinigami!" The hollow bellowed loudly.

Ichigo swung his zanpakutō once more, making direct contact with its mask. The hollow let out a high pitched scream, flaying its one arm and legs as it began to dematerialize and scatter to the wind.

Rukia moaned, opening her eyes after being knocked out momentarily. She pulled her body up off the asphalt as she saw the hollow being defeated by Ichigo, the swell of spiritual pressure swirling around him aggressively. Rukia stiffened; feeling his spiritual energy creep up her spine and pin her down to the pavement. Straining her eyes, she shakily held up a hand to shield herself from Ichigo's blinding power, and all at once the enormous power faded with a gush of wind.

Ichigo turned, looking over at the monkey bars where the little girl had hid herself. He walked over quietly, his zanpakutō still in his grasp. The little girl saw him and shuddered, shaking her head fearfully.

"I'm not here to hurt you little girl, come out from there." Ichigo chided, holding out his hand to her as he crouched down. Timidly the little girl emerged, holding her clasped hands towards her mouth as she made tiny steps towards Ichigo.

"I'm so tired of running from those monsters," The little girl sniffled, wiping a tear from her cheek. "I want to go home! I want my mommy!"

Ichigo's expression saddened when he heard that. The little spirit he stared at could have been no younger than his two sisters. It was a shame, a tragedy really for a little girl to wander alone even in the afterlife. It made Ichigo's heart ache for his own mother for the moment.

Rukia watched in stunned silence as Ichigo placed his sword over his shoulder, the hilt facing up. A glowing blue light began to shine from the bottom of the hilt, and it was then Rukia surmised that Ichigo was about to perform konsō.

"Your days of running are over," Ichigo spoke evenly, trying to keep his emotions separate from his task. "You will now be able to pass on, and find peace in the Soul Society." Ichigo gently tapped her forehead with the glowing hilt; and the kanji appeared on her forehead. A white light flowed over the little girl, and she began to sink slowly into the ground. Just as her face disappeared, the little girl smiled meekly at Ichigo.

"Thank you mister…thank you…" The little girl continued to say until the white light was gone.

Ichigo swallowed deeply as he slowly stood, feeling a huge lump in his throat. This was the part of the job he hated the most. Performing konsō was like reliving the grief over his mother over and over. He sheathed his zanpakutō, hoping he didn't have to use it anymore tonight.

"You did that superbly," Rukia spoke softly, picking herself off the pavement. Ichigo didn't respond; he stood there for a few seconds before he turned around to face her.

"Are you alright?" Ichigo asked her quietly as he walk up to her. He saw her grab her left knee and hiss with pain, and his eyebrows furrowed.

"A little scrape, a little ointment should make it okay." Rukia said through clenched teeth.

"Sit down and let me take a look at it," Ichigo scolded her lightly.

"I said I'm fine," Rukia ground out bitterly.

"Sit dammit," Ichigo snapped, pointing to the nearby bench. Rukia sucked her teeth at him, and limped over to the bench to sit as ordered. Kneeling down in front of her, Ichigo pushed the left leg of her Shinigami pants up to assess the injury, and noticed a deep bloody scar on her knee. "Looks pretty bad."

Rukia however wasn't focusing on the pain. All she could decipher was Ichigo's large, bony fingers running up her leg; sending tremors in stomach. She was surprised at how soft and yet strong his hands felt; the nails were trimmed nicely and no dirt was visible under the nails… even _this_ was attractive to the poor girl.

"I think it may need stitches, but I'll head over to Urahara's shop and he can heal it for…" Rukia spoke nervously until she saw Ichigo whisper a small incantation, holding his hand over her knee. A small light flowed from his palm, and she felt the warmth of its energy as it began to heal the injury. "…you know a healing Kaidō?" She asked; amazed at what he was doing.

"Shut up," Ichigo replied quickly, focusing on his Kaidō. Inwardly he was elated that was able to get this close to her. To feel the warmth and feel of her skin was more rewarding that he imagined. And she smelled _so_ good… like jasmine and clover; not too overwhelming but just like Ichigo expected Rukia to smell. Looking closely at her knee, he noticed no hairs present. _She even shaved her freaking legs_, Ichigo thought gleefully as he bit his lip. His close proximity with her was beginning to make him hard, so he closed his palm, the light distinguishing along with it. He let go of her leg as he stood, taking his warmth along with him.

Rukia was a bit disappointed that he let go of her leg, but when she looked at her knee it was perfectly healed. Smiling, she stood up and bared her weight on it. She was pleased when she found it feeling just as good as before. "Why, thank you Ichigo." Rukia told him with a surprised smile. "Who taught you the Kaidō?"

"Urahara, who else?" Ichigo told her plainly. "It's no big deal."

"Ichigo, healing Kaidō is very complex; sometimes it normally takes a person several years to master it. So it is a big deal," Rukia explained excitedly. "That was simply astonishing, Ichigo." He simply shrugged his shoulders, and Rukia marveled at how much of a natural he was at being a Shinigami. _You are simply astonishing, Ichigo_.

"Well, it's almost sunrise… I guess we should call it night and get some rest." Ichigo told her as he stretched his arms with a long yarn.

"Yeah, I suppose," Rukia mumbled as she remembered that Renji was at her home. She turned, walking away from him until he called out to her.

"Going home to snuggle with Renji now?" Ichigo asked, intending it to be a cruel joke but it didn't come out that way to his disappointment. Rukia spun around to look at him with his smug smirk curled up on his face.

"Who?" Rukia asked sharply, knowing already what was said. She just dared him to say it again.

Ichigo's smirk disappeared, waving a hand at her as if he was dismissing what he said. "Never mind. Talk to you later." Before she could say another word Ichigo leapt on top of the school building, and skipped on each adjacent building until he was long gone.

"A fine time was had by all," Rukia whispered, turning around as she walked back home.

* * *

Climbing through his bedroom window, Ichigo crawled over the bed and drew the curtains shut. He hurriedly walked over to his bedroom door and locked it quietly. Stripping down to absolutely nothing, his skin tingled with excitement. 

It had been about two years since he did this. He couldn't remember why he stopped. _Oh yeah… __**she**__ came to stay with me_, Ichigo thought with ironic amusement. And now he was going to jerk off thinking about the same girl that made him stop in the first damn place.

But he couldn't resist it this morning. He had been walking around with a painful erection since yesterday and it needed some definite attention. And after feeling Rukia's soft, delicate skin and smelling her fragrant aroma made him even harder.

Lying down on his bed, Ichigo kept his eyes on the ceiling has his hand shakily grasped his erection, sending electric surges through his entire body upon contact. He moaned, his eyes drifting shut as vivid images of Rukia came to his mind.

_Rukia lying on my bed. _

_Naked. _

_Exposed. Glistening. _

_Her face flushed, begging for me. _

Ichigo's hand began to move up and down his length slowly, trying hard to draw out his nasty fantasy as long as he could.

_She smelled so good… I wonder what her pussy would taste like. I would eat her to exhaustion_, Ichigo thought to himself as his hand sped up. _I bet her nipples are so pink and so ready for me to suck on… I'd fuck her with my cock until she begged me to stop. Oh God…_

"Fuck," Ichigo gasped, finally looking down at himself. His hand slid faster against his hardness, and he cupped his balls tightly as he felt it throb of the beginnings of his orgasm. He came violently, grunting loudly as he spurted a long pearly stream of essence up into the air and all over his stomach and legs. To his amazement, the remaining spurts continued long after he let his cock out of his grasp; it jumping intensely against his flat stomach.

Panting hard, Ichigo let his semen soaked hands fall to his sides, one dangling off the edge of the bed. Not even caring about how he was lying on the bed covered in his own secretions, he felt sleep taking over him quickly. Drained of energy and satisfied briefly, he had he managed to mutter one word as he fell fast asleep.

"…Rukia…"

* * *

Rukia tip toed into her bedroom, quietly shutting the door. When she turned around, she gasped, startled at Renji sitting up in the bed, the bed sheets barely covering him. 

"God, Renji," Rukia sighed placing a hand on her chest. "You scared the shit of me."

"Sorry," Renji told her as he got out of the bed. Rukia frowned a little, knowing he probably wanted sex. But as she looked at him, she noticed how serious his expression was. "It's good that you're back. How was patrol?"

"Slow… only one hollow," Rukia answered slowly, raising an eyebrow at him. "Are you okay?"

"I'm okay," Renji informed her with a smile. He walked over to her and gave her a big hug. "Now that you're here, I'm better than okay."

Rukia frowned. She wasn't the hearts and flowers type of girl. She could be sometimes, but Renji was being way too sweet to her. But as she hugged him back, she figured she was just beginning to size him up with some _other_ person to justify their relationship. And _that_ didn't make any sense. Patting him on the back lightly, she laughed.

"You're going to give me a toothache with all this gooey niceness Renji," Rukia told him jokingly. As she pulled back to look at him, he still had this solemn look on his face and a small smile on his lips. "What?"

"I love it when you come home to me," Renji admitted deeply, his hand coming up to hold her chin. "It got me to thinking… why don't we make it official, you and me?"

Rukia's heart fluttered with a combination of shock and surprise. "Renji…where did this come from?"

"I don't know… just sitting here, waiting for you," Renji marveled. "Listening to the sound of the keys opening the door, hearing you walk up stairs … it made me kinda happy. Yeah…I was happy. Happy that you were coming home, to me."

"I like coming home to you to." Rukia whispered softly, and for a second she felt the uncertainty in her heart that wavered in the words she spoke.

Renji's eyes glittered with adornment as gazed at Rukia, and he couldn't help but smile as he said, "Then prove it… Marry me."

**::To Be Continued::**

* * *

Definitions of terms used:

_Inga no Kusari_ – Chain of fate.

_Whole_ – Spirit of the person who has died; also called _plus_.

_Kaido_ – Spell used to either attack or heal a person. English dub uses wrong reference to Hudo 31, should be Hudo 33.

_Konso_ – Soul Burial.

**Author's Note: **I would appreciate it if I got some input on how the story is developing so far. I'm not a review-whore, but getting some type of response saying if the reader hated or liked the story helps me a lot; even if it's constructive. Reviews are more than an 'update soon', because I kinda despise those kinds of reviews. I like a review to tell me if I need to work on a particular area or if it expresses if they dislike/like the chapter. And when I hardly get any reviews it gives me the impression that it's just not good enough. Writing fanfiction is strictly for entertainment purposes, and when I find myself 'hating' to update because no one cares, I stop writing. I want to improve in my skills and I want to deliver the absolute best when I post… and if I'm not able to do that then I'm wasting my time. In a nutshell, I beseech you _kindly_ to review if you are able to. Thanks so much for reading, and sorry for the rant.


	4. Rukia's Turn To Cry

**Author's note: **I know a lot of you didn't expect what happened at the end of last chapter, so I want to elaborate and respond to some of my reviews.

I know that everyone is wondering when Ichigo is just going to spit it out and confess to Rukia, but I wanted to make it more interesting brining in the love triangle. I also wanted to put Ichigo in another light: In the series he's a strong character, never backing down and saying what needs to be said when necessary. But having the pervious knowledge of being a teen, expression is never easy. He's running the gamut of emotions that every teenager feels when they're in love. I'm not saying he's weak in my story… just scared of his feelings, and what Rukia would say if she knew. So I'll reiterate once more that this is **NOT** a Rukia/Renji story. For all the ones who stuck it out to see what's going to happen next, I do thank you all. You will not be disappointed.

Now to the reviews: (Randomly picked)

**RollingStar -Miss Kuchiki: **All boys do that. There's probably one doing it right now as you read this… OO

**Nesha1:** Thanks girl! I can always count on you!!!

**JadeRent: **Thank you for such an in-depth review! I beamed all day after reading it!

**Ryan:** Thank you so much!

And to all the other wonderful people who left me reviews… **THANK YOU!** Have a safe Thanksgiving Holiday!!!

**Author's Note #2**: The IshiHime portion of this chapter is dedicated to **debbiechan**. Deb, you rock.

A special thanks to my new beta reader **Bio-Electric Anemone **(revisions will be made over the next two weeks).

* * *

**Tell Her**

**Chapter Four**

_Rukia's Turn to Cry_

She tried to keep silent, she really did. But Uryu was really on top his game this morning. Orihime Inoue simply _loved_ having sex in the morning, once telling her boyfriend that sex in the morning was just like having breakfast: You wake up starving for it, it's filling, satisfying and gets you alert and ready for your day, and when you've had too much of it you tumble into a blissful slumber. Uryu loved her little anecdote; even if was a bit on the vulgar side.

Biting her lip, she gazed up her lover pounding into her; the sweat dripping off his slender body that give him such a wondrous glow. His cheeks were flushed and red from their excretions, and Orihime loved it. She loved how he moaned and shivered when he was with her like this; adoring how he would always go the extra mile to please her oversexed libido. Just watching how his body connected so well to hers was making her shudder with her climax, and no matter how hard she tried to stay quiet, Orihime was very vocal when she had an orgasm.

"Mmmm… Uryu! _Yesss_!" Orihime exclaimed, gripping his shoulders so hard she left scratches. "You're making me come Uryu! _I'm cominnnggg_!"

Uryu cheeks grew a shade redder, mostly in mixed embarrassment that she would scream something so lewd like that …but he enjoyed knowing he made her come immensely. Burying his head in her shoulder, he gave a few more quick thrusts into her as he came, sucking in deep mouthfuls of air as his arms embraced her tightly. Her muscles still gripped him as he finally came to a stop, his body relaxing gently on top of hers, and then he pushed himself off to lay beside her.

He felt lightheaded. He always did after making love to Orihime. It was a taxing but intense coupling with the nymph, and it boosted Ishida's ego that he was sleeping with the hottest girl in Karakura High School. Sometimes he felt so undeserving of her; even to this day he still can't believe he won her heart. Closing his eyes, Ishida was on the fringes of sleep when he felt her play with nose. Opening one eye slightly, he gazed up at Orihime who was now sitting on top of him, her moist naked body rocking gently against his in all the right places.

"That was so _good_ Ishida!" Orihime exclaimed, leaning down to give him a deep kiss on the mouth. "Let's try it with me on top this time!"

"Orihime let's take a quick nap first," Uryu told her wearily, rubbing the sides of her hips. "And remember that we have to be quieter here… Rukia is in the next room."

"Oh I forgot about that, you make me feel so good Uryu that I forget to be quiet sometimes!" Orihime chimed happily, laying her head down on his shoulder.

Uryu felt his body tingle when she said that, and he cleared his throat. "Well you make me feel good too, Orihime."

They laid there silently for minutes until Orihime raised her head up, whisking her long hair out of her face.

"So Rukia's dating Renji now?" She asked.

With his eyes drooping with sleep, Ishida sighed lightly. "Apparently so."

"I heard them the night before," Orihime whispered, like she telling a dirty secret. "Well at least I heard Renji… I didn't expect Rukia to go for someone like him." Uryu gave a small grunt, his eyes sliding shut again. "But what about Ichigo?"

Uryu's eyes snapped open again, and he turned his head to face hers. "Hime, _that_ is none of our concern."

"What do you mean it's none of our concern?" Orihime replied, her tone sounding a little defensive. "Ichigo-kun is our friend, and Rukia is our friend also."

"It still doesn't make it right for us to pry," Uryu told her as his fingers danced along her shoulders. "They are grown enough to handle their own problems."

"But it isn't fair," Orihime whined, closing her eyes. "Ichigo loves her."

Sitting up, Uryu looked at his girlfriend inquisitively. "And how do you know that?"

"You can tell silly! Every girl knows what to look for," Orihime giggled, scooting off him to sit Indian style on the bed beside him. "He may act tough and cool around his friends in school, but I see how he just stares at her sometimes in class… and then at lunch! He watched Rukia and Renji from the rooftop and he was clutching his chest… he didn't eat lunch that day and he walked around holding his head and stomach until Rukia came back, and he put on his tough guy act so she wouldn't notice."

Uryu just stared at her darkly, folding his arms in front of his bare chest. "You are awfully _observant_ of Kurosaki, Orihime." She could hear a slight twinge of jealously in his voice, and she smiled as she threw her arms around his broad shoulders.

"I'm observant of everyone Uryu," Orihime chided as she gave him a kiss. "But there's only one man I want." They kissed again, and for the life of him Uryu couldn't resist as he pushed her down on her back, climbing on top of her and with one fluid motion he was inside of her again, making her back arch. He leaned down to her beautiful breasts, snaking his tongue out to tease the sensitive areolas. Orihime's legs locked tightly around his waist in response, a sound between panting and giggling coming out of her mouth. God, how he _loved_ hearing that sound. It made him work fast against her; eager to feel the rhythmic grasps of her pussy until he was pushed over the edge of ecstasy. Their lovemaking wasn't gentle and tender this time; it was hard, fast and utterly mind-blowing. They came simultaneously, both of them moaning loudly in the aftermath. Uryu had his forehead pressed against hers, his breathing shaky and erratic.

"Stay inside me Uryu," Orihime begged him as she felt his flaccid member slip out of her.

"Hime I _have_ to rest now," Uryu breathed out firmly, but he still tenderly pulled her close to his side. They were sweaty, hot and drenched in each other fluids. This was the only time Uryu allowed himself to be in this condition- in the after throes of passion with Orihime was the only reason he would stand it. She snuggled closer to him and he could hear the content in her sigh as she smoothed a flat palm across his chest and abdomen. "Can you keep a secret?" Uryu asked her suddenly.

Lifting her head, she pulled the wet strains of hair off her forehead as she looked at him. "You have a secret, Uryu-kun?"

"But you must swear to me that you won't tell it," Uryu warned her.

"I swear… what is it?"

His eyes drifted away from hers, fixing them on a unicorn poster on her wall. "Your intuition on Ichigo is correct. He does love Rukia."

Standing up on the bed, Orihime jumped and down excitedly, her huge breasts swinging wildly with each jump. "OH MY GOSH!! I KNEW IT!!"

"Calm down Hime," Uryu pleaded lightly, sorry that he mentioned it all.

"How did you find this out?" Orihime asked as she knelt down on the bed in front of her boyfriend, a joyous expression on her face.

"He didn't just come right out and say it," Uryu began as he searched for his glasses on the nightstand. Slipping them on his face, he ran a hand through his wet hair. "But he did suggest that he had to tell someone he loved them… and Rukia was in a restaurant nearby and he left to see her in quite a hurry."

"So did he tell her?" Orihime drilled him, pulling on his arm.

"There are only two true answers to that question," Uryu told her as he rubbed his chin. "He did tell her; and she rebuked his offer. Or he didn't tell her at all and that's why she's still with Renji."

Exhaling sadly, Orihime laid down next to her lover, her eyes fixated on the ceiling fan blades that spun slowly. "Then he didn't tell her."

"We really don't know that Hime…" Uryu began, but Orihime shot up, looking serious with her response.

"If Ichigo had told Rukia he loved her, she wouldn't be with Renji. I know that you may think differently; it's that simple."

Pausing for only a moment, Uryu shook his head with disappointment. "So he didn't tell her after all," He sucked his teeth, pitying Ichigo for loosing his nerve. "I told him it would be regrettable if he didn't do it."

"Maybe we could…" Orihime began slowly; knowing what Uryu's response would be.

"NO," Uryu told her firmly, pushing his glasses up on his nose. "I'm not going to get involved into their business."

Orihime lowered her head down, kissing Uryu's chest, leading them down to his naval. She raised her head up, looking at him with mischief in her eyes. But Uryu knew all too well that it was manipulation written in them as she darted her tongue out, licking his navel very deliberately, keeping her eyes on his. Uryu's stomach quivered with excitement; loving how much pleasure she simply gave him by just using her velvety tongue.

"If we help Rukia and Ichigo… I'll suck your cock." Orihime said with a small purr.

Uryu shook with her words, feeling his renewed erection jump with the sheer nastiness of her voice. He narrowed his eyes at her, his mouth into a tight with a scowl. "D-don't say that word," Uryu warned her, his voice breaking.

Orihime smiled. She knew that Uryu wanted everyone to believe he was some prissy boy-nerd. But she knew better. He flew the freak flag very proudly around her. It was an absolute turn on to know the kind of things he was into to. And even now he still wanted to deny himself of his carnal needs. Orihime had pulled out her trump card, knowing that saying _this_ word would make him loose all his control.

"Don't say what?" Orihime asked, batting her eyes. "Cock?"

He stifled out a small moan, and he shut his eyes. "Don't- say that!" He scolded her in a clipped voice.

"But that's what it is… a cock. A big… fat…" Orihime lowered her head towards his now throbbing erection that laid on his abdomen. "…_cock_. I _love_ your cock, Uryu." She put her hand around his shaft, kissing the head before taking in her mouth.

"Ahh- Orihime… we just-" Uryu stuttered, gripping the bed sheets tightly. She plopped him out of her mouth, propping herself up on one elbow. He let out a ragged breath, disappointed that the warmth of her mouth was gone.

"We just did it?" Orihime said with a laugh. "It's just my juices and yours there, Uryu… now do you want me to suck your _cock_ some more now?" She asked sweetly, still placing much emphasis on the word.

"Don't," Uryu managed to say, his breathing becoming labored.

"Cock," Orihime whispered seductively, her mouth only centimeters from his hardness. "Cock, cock, _cock_!"

Throwing his head back, Uryu groaned. "Please Orihime…"

"Say it Uryu…I want to hear you say it." Orihime said in a low soft voice, her hot breath beading across the sensitive flesh. He convulsed, twitching violently against his will until he just couldn't anymore.

"…Cock," Uryu ground out deeply, his head falling back down, strains of his dark hair falling around his slender face. He stared at her like he was another person now; his cobalt eyes were dark with desire. "Suck my cock… suck it _hard_ Orihime."

"With pleasure, my love." Orihime purred, and she kindly obliged him.

* * *

Plucking his fingers across the guitar strings, Ichigo sighed as he tried to remember the musical notes he made almost three years ago. He never written them down; it was tune that bobbed around in his head when he was deep in thought. One evening he made the small melody on his guitar, a few chords that Yuzu and Karin simply loved. He had intended on adding more to it, but between school and getting drawn into the Shinigami world prevented him from ever finishing it. Now in dismal reflection of his personal life, he concluded he had lots of time to complete it now, among other things. 

He awoke late that afternoon after spending the early morning hours frantically jerking himself off to images of Rukia. Both of his wrists were tired and his cock was sore from his brutality. He hated himself for doing it, but he wanted to state himself from this longing for her; to drain himself dry for even loving her. Unfortunately after he was finally done he sadly realized it only intensified his need. For the first time in Ichigo Kurosaki's life, he knew what it felt to feel absolutely alone. The world was huge grey blob of nothingness, and life had no meaning.

He decided to give up. Renji had beaten him to the prize, and there was nothing else he could do. It hurt like hell losing her. His heart ached with sadness and his stomach bubbled with regret. He couldn't remember the last time he ate anything, so he made his way downstairs to fix him a bite to eat. His father gave him the regular family greeting by placing him in headlock. Yuzu was happy to see her big brother, so she heated him up some of the leftover _nikujyaga_ she fixed for dinner the pervious night. Karin wasn't that keen on open displays of affection so they just talked briefly about her softball game championship.

And now he was back in his room, gently strumming the guitar strings of his guitar, disparately trying to remember the sweet melody he created. Then he realized that he couldn't think of anything else but Rukia once she entered his life. Gritting his teeth in frustration, he gave the stings a flaying stroke, dropping his head. _I can't shake this feeling_…Ichigo thought to himself. But he had to let it go somehow.

Returning his guitar next to his desk, Ichigo flipped face first on his bed. His depressed state was taking its toll, and he felt tired. Rolling over to his side, Ichigo tucked his pillow between his head and neck. He figured a little rest should help jog his memory on that elusive melody.

It felt like he just dozed off when he felt someone shaking him. He gripped his pillow tighter, curling up as he refused to open his eyes. Then he heard her voice.

"Ichigo!" Rukia shouted loudly, and his eyes snapped open, looking at her standing over him.

Groggily, Ichigo sat up, rubbing his eyes. He looked around his room, noticing that it was now night time. Had he slept that long? "…Rukia? What are you – "

"What were you going to tell me that night at the restaurant?" Rukia asked quickly, her eyes looking glassy.

Ichigo blinked. Was he dreaming? Shaking his head slowly, he drew his knees up towards him. "I already told you… Kon-"

"_Bullshit_!" Rukia snapped loudly. She looked ready to smack him across the face. "You're lying. You were never good at it. So tell me what it is you were tying to tell me!"

Ichigo felt like he was going to be sick. She was here… in his room, demanding to know the truth. Scooting forward, he threw his legs over the edge of the bed, his eyes glued to the hole in the thigh of his ratty sweatpants. He could hear how perplexed and desperate Rukia sounded… and for the life of him he couldn't bring himself to say what needed to be said. Letting out an exasperated sigh, Rukia sat down next to him. He looked at her from out the corner of his eye, and noticed she was wearing a long nightgown and a jean jacket. She swung her feet, silently for a while as she just seemed to be in deep thought.

"So you just left him there, huh?" Ichigo finally asked, referring to Renji.

"You know Renji's perfect for me," Rukia told Ichigo softly, a sad smile on her face. "He knows me better than anyone. But you and me, Ichigo… you me, we… we…" She paused, and placed her face in her hands, her black hair covering her face. He heard her let out a small sob, and her shoulders shook.

Ichigo was dumbfounded. Was Rukia… _crying_? He never EVER saw Rukia like this. She was so vulnerable and exposed with her feelings… even the crying was an unseen rarity. It was awkward but somehow comforting that she would drop her hard-core façade and reveal this soft, insecure person that she was right now. But He didn't know what to do. Should he comfort her, or let her cry it out?

Rukia whipped her head up, wiping her tear stained face as she glowered at him with red and puffy eyes. "You're just going to sit there and let me cry, aren't you?"

Placing his arm around her, he pulled her close to him, and Rukia laid her head on his chest, letting out a few more sobs before calming herself down.

"Don't get any snot on my tee shirt, okay?" Ichigo joked as he rubbed her arm.

Rukia sniffled, letting out a small laugh. She could always count on him to say the wrong thing at the right time. "I hate you Ichigo Kurosaki."

Ichigo smirked, knowing it was of a term of endearment rather an insult. He hugged her tightly. "I hate you too, Rukia Kuchiki."

Rukia snorted, raising her head up to meet his gaze. Ichigo reached out and pushed some stray hair out of her face and rested his hand on her cheek, marveling at her flushed face and teary eyes. Even now she still looked so beautiful. His hand slowly slid around to the back of her neck, and he pulled her face closer to his little by little. Their lips barely touched each other at first; and Ichigo drew back for a mere second, swearing he felt a jolt of electricity flutter between them.

"Whoa," Ichigo whispered, his eyes widening with amazement.

"I-I know," Rukia answered softly, flabbergasted at what she felt also.

He stared at Rukia as she closed her eyes, slightly puckering her lips in anticipation. He closed in, this time taking full assertiveness as he pressed his lips firmly against hers. Rukia let out a small moan, literally melting into his arms as her hands drew up to cup his face.

What started out as a chaste, innocent first kiss began to get aggressive and eager each passing moment. Rukia was raking her fingers through Ichigo's soft hair, and Ichigo was rubbing her shoulders and back vigorously, occasional wrapping his strong arms around her as he embraced her tightly against him. Ichigo growled low in his throat as he leaned his body forward so she would follow suit and lay back against the mattress. He almost succeeded until he heard that small beeping noise in her jacket.

Pushing herself up, Rukia reached into her pocket and flipped open her communicator. Grabbing a handful of Ichigo shirt, her eyes widened with what she read.

Ichigo wanted to snap that little communicator in half. Yet again fate had reared its ugly head and denied him. He laid his head down her shoulder in defeat, letting out an infuriated sigh.

"We got orders," Rukia told him quickly as she pulled herself out of his grasp. "Hollows, four of them a few blocks from here."

Ichigo sulked for a moment, hating that out of all the times he had to go fight a damn hollow he could have been getting laid. "Well then, what are we waiting for?"

* * *

It had been glorious. 

The hollows had given chase all over town, but Ichigo killed three of the four hollows within the span four hours tops, and Rukia destroyed the fourth one on her own before sunrise. Ichigo was full of spirit and empowerment as he attacked each hollow, first taunting with them as he cut off their limbs and then finally finishing them off by running his zanpakutō through their masks.

Rukia noticed his over zealous attitude, and found it simply irresistible. Sheathing her sword, she smiled broadly at her partner, wondering about the possibilities of having something a little more that just a Shinigami partnership with him. "How do you feel?" Rukia asked in a spirited tone as they walked through the city park.

"I feel great. Better than great actually," Ichigo told her happily, holding his hands up towards the sky. "I feel… _fantastic!_"He turned, beaming at her with a smile she never seen on his face before, his eyes twinkling with cheerfulness. "I'm so hungry; let's go get something to eat."

Rukia rubbed her empty stomach, her eyes widening with the mention of food. "Oh… I'm hungry too. Oh! Let's go to that all-you-can-eat breakfast bar."

"I could eat some blueberry pancakes, a tower of them," Ichigo mused, imagining what he could eat next. "I want bacon, a plateful of those little sausage links, and a huge cup of…" He glanced over at Rukia, and realized she wasn't walking along side him anymore. As he turned around, he noticed that she was now behind him, staring at him with a dreadful look on her face.

Frowning slightly, Ichigo asked, "What's the matter?"

Rukia bit her lip. Exhaling intensely, she guiltily replied, "Renji."

* * *

Unlocking the front door, Rukia pushed it open, walking in very softly. She turned around, closing the door just as quietly as she did opening it. Letting out a relieving sigh, she turned to walk upstairs until she caught glimpse of Renji's red hair. 

"Welcome home." Renji told her as he leaned in the doorway of the kitchen. His tone was not threatening or angry… but it was creepily void of emotion and his face was stoic. Startled, Rukia jumped, her eyes widening for moment like a child with their hand caught in the cookie jar.

"You scared me!" Rukia gushed out, holding a hand to her chest.

"Didn't mean to," Renji replied, his tone still sounding staid.

Not knowing what else to say, Rukia sat down at the bottom of the stairs, brushing a stray hair out of her face and then wrapping her arms around her knees. She gave him a fake smile. "Morning."

"Sure is," Renji informed her flatly.

"I guess you're probably wondering." Rukia asked softly.

"I guess you're probably right." Renji said tightly, narrowing his eyes.

"Hollows." Rukia told him. But her mind screamed _I kissed Ichigo._ She saw how his eyebrows furrowed.

"Hollows?" Renji repeated back at her, raising one eyebrow.

"I got a call on the communicator, four hollows." Rukia began, but her mind was recalling the moment her lips touched Ichigo's.

_Ichigo kissed me back. _

"It came in during the middle of the night… and I didn't want to wake you so I just left. I got orders… I had to go. I know I should have left a note… but it was so unexpected." Rukia finished with her hastily explanation, hoping Renji didn't see the truth written all over her face.

_I kissed Ichigo Kurosaki. I kissed him I kissed him I kissed him._

_I liked it._

Renji smirked at her remark. Pushing himself off the doorway, he slowly rubbed his hands together as he slowly asked the next question. "So… when you went out to kill these hollows you didn't do it _alone_, by any chance?"

Rukia gulped. Tearing her eyes from his scrutinizing gaze, she rocked gently on the step as she gave her reply. "No… no, I wouldn't go out and kill hollows all by myself. There was somebody else there… other than me." She sucked her bottom lip into her mouth, knowing she was miserably vague at saying who was with her. But Renji already knew _who_ that person was.

Rukia expected him to go completely out his mind. He would yell and scream at her, then swear to kill Ichigo and his entire family. But he stood there for what seemed like an eternity, staring her down with that somber expression on his face. Rukia grasped her hands tightly around her knees. Her heart was racing so fast as she waited for his reaction. Suddenly, Renji's appearance changed; he forced a smile on his face as he placed his hands on his hips.

"Okay. Are you hungry?" Renji asked her.

Rukia blinked, mouth agape. "Hungry?"

Renji walked over, extending his hand out to help her up off the step. She slowly took his hand and he walked her into the kitchen. "I'm not too good a chef, but I can make a mean bowl of corn flakes." On the table was sliced fruit, bacon, eggs, sausage and a pitcher of apple juice. Centering the table was a small vase with a single pink rose.

"Do you want breakfast?" Renji asked, standing in front of the table as she looked at huge array of food, speechless.

"Breakfast? You did all this?" Rukia asked him, dumbfounded at his culinary talent.

Renji rolled his eyes slightly, and gave a sigh as he walked around the table, placing his hand around her waist. He turned her around to the kitchen door. "Let's go."

"Go? Go where?" Rukia asked numbly, following his lead.

"Bed." Renji replied, never looking her direction.

"Renji, I don't think…" Rukia began, shaking her head in protest.

"Not us, you," Renji cut her off. "You've been up all night and you need a little rest before you go to school today."

"But we have a lot to talk about…" Rukia objected slowly.

"Rest now… we can talk later." Renji told her with a squeeze of her hand.

He guided her up to her room, sat her down on the edge of the bed and removed her shoes. He took off her jacket and then pulled the sheets down. Rukia obliged by clawing up to the pillows, and Renji covered her up, making sure to tuck her in. Rukia was still a bit uneasy; Renji was taking this way better than she expected, and it wasn't a good sign. He was calm. Way _too_ calm.

The telephone that sat on Rukia's nightstand began to ring. Renji looked at her, wondering when she was going to answer it. Rukia stared off, pretending to not hear it. Renji narrowed his eyes suspiciously, stood and walked away from the bed, and Rukia then reached over to pick the telephone up. Before he could walk out of the bedroom, Rukia covered the lower end of receiver with her hand as she called out to him.

"Renji, wait." Rukia asked him quickly before speaking into the phone. He stood patiently at the door, his hand grasping the doorknob tightly.

"Moshi moshi," Rukia spoke into the phone, and her eyes lit up. "Oh… hello Momo! I'm doing fine. I worked late last night, just got in. I'm going to get some rest before school. No… nothing's going on. Nothing new to report. Just the same old routine. Well tell everyone I said hello, I'll be home soon. Alright. Bye." Hanging up, she paused briefly before looking up at Renji. "Renji, I don't want you to think I haven't thought about it, about what you asked me last night. I don't want you to think I took it… casually."

Renji gave her a tight smile as he shook his head. "I understand. Get some sleep." He walked out, closing the door softly behind him. He leaned his back against the door, sighing as he swallowed thickly, his eyes narrowing down as the red-hot anger burned in his chest.

* * *

He laid tangled between his bed sheets, one leg peeking out as he slept on his side. Ichigo was exhausted when he got home; so he decided to sleep in a few more hours and come to school later in the day. Stretching, he rolled onto his back, opening his eyes slowly. He stilled; sensing a presence in the room with him his eyes snapped wide open as he observed the red-headed man stilling in his window sill, looking at him with hatred in his eyes. Ichigo sprung up, irritated that he was woken up by him, but he knew his reasons for being there. 

"Kinda a familiar sight, seeing you flat on your back," Renji said lightly, but his face told him he was far from being humorous. "I think It's time you and me talked."

Frowning, Ichigo sat up straight, folding his arms in front of him defensively. Ichigo set his eyes on the alarm clock that sat on his desk, his silence giving Renji the impression to continue, so he did.

"From how I see it, the situation is…we have something in common… _someone_ in common," Renji began lowly as he nodded his head. "You follow me so far? It's a shame it had to come to this; because I like you, Ichigo. And you're hard not to like. But the fact remains we still have a problem. You see, she's real confused. And that's kinda funny…I really don't see what she's so confused about- I mean, look at you. Look at this place. Look at how you live. It's a mess. Now don't get me wrong; I find it kind of endearing and I know you like it, but I think she deserves better."

"You do, huh?" Ichigo growled lowly, shooting him a disapproving glare.

"Yeah… I do." Renji replied with a scoff. "You see I've known her for a long time. I know what she wants, I know what she needs… you're not even close." Renji paused, sensing Ichigo's spiritual pressure rising, and he smiled cruelly. "Last night, I made Rukia a proposition. A real _promising_ proposition. One I know under any circumstance she would have jumped on. But like I said… she's real confused. So what I'm trying to say to you Ichigo is this: if you don't care about Rukia, you need to tell her. And if you _do_ care about her, well she needs to know that too… it's just real obvious who and what's best for."

As Renji turned to exit out of the window, he looked over his shoulder at Ichigo one last time. "It's real simple _boy_… why don't you do everybody a favor and just back off?" Renji leaped off the sill and out of sight, leaving Ichigo to simmer in his anger silently.

* * *

"Hi, Rukia!" Orihime exclaimed happily as she waved. She was holding her large knapsack containing her lunch, and Ishida was holding her books as they walked upstairs to the roof to eat. 

As Rukia she walked towards them, she smiled warmly. It was nice to see Ishida and Orihime together. They were exact opposites but they made a handsome couple nonetheless. "Why hello Orihime, Uryu."

"I made leek soup with rice balls stuffed with pork for lunch... do you want some?" Orihime asked her.

"I brought my own lunch today, thanks." Rukia told her, her stomach twisting with the mention of leek soup.

"You are awfully tardy for school today, Rukia… is everything alright?" Uryu asked her briskly, like he didn't really want to ask. Rukia furrowed her eyes in confusion, a bit surprised he would even care if she came to school at all.

"Ah- everything is fine, thanks for asking Ishida." Rukia replied with her uncertainty.

"Well I just want to tell you that if you ever need to talk to me about _anything_ Rukia I'm here for you," Orihime informed her in her sing-song voice. "And that goes for Uryu too. Isn't that right Uryu-kun?"

"Oh yes," Uryu stuttered, his cheeks flushing red. He had sold his soul to devil that morning when he agreed to help Orihime with Rukia and Ichigo. And Orihime carefully reminded him of it with the cryptic sound of her voice. "We're here for you, Rukia-san."

"Have you seen Ichigo today?" Orihime asked her suddenly, making Rukia raise a curious eyebrow.

"No…I haven't," Rukia slowly said, not sure where she was going with this conversation.

"He's been under the weather lately, hasn't he Uryu?" Orihime said with a nudge in his side.

"Oh yes, he looks quite ill." Uryu said with faked concern.

"He's always walking around grasping his stomach and head like he's sick… You know what I think? I think he needs to get out more, that's what I think. Why I just telling Uryu the other day that it would be super if we all went out on a double date –not a _date_ date of course but a friendly… _platonic_ kinda date, you know?" Orihime rattled.

Rukia found it odd at Orihime's and Uyru's concern for her and Ichigo, but she managed to put on a pleasant facade as she backed away slowly. "I'll have to think about that Orihime…Well I got to get my lunch bag; left it in the classroom. I'll catch up with you guys."

"Okay Rukia, see you upstairs!" Orihime chimed out, grabbing her boyfriend's hand and dragging him off hastily.

As Rukia turned and walked away, she made a mental note _not_ to eat lunch on the roof today. The last thing she needed was someone prying into her personal life. It was way too much drama going on with it already.

Reaching the darkened classroom, she walked in towards her desk until she noticed someone sitting there in the dark. She walked back and flipped on the light, and to her surprise there sat Ichigo, his feet propped up on the desk in front of him. He stared darkly at her, making her cheeks grow hot with the memory of their first kiss, and how incredibly soft his lips felt.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Ichigo asked her quietly.

She immediately turned around and walked out without a word. Ichigo got out of his seat, following her heatedly.

"Oi… he asked you, didn't he?" Ichigo inquired harshly, right on her heels.

"I don't want to talk about it." Rukia replied, never stopping as she stormed down the hallway.

"You see I find this really interesting, that's all," Ichigo explained. "According to him, he asked you last night, _after_ you came to by house and went running all over town killing those hollows. I don't recall you mentioning that."

"You're right I didn't mention it," Rukia snapped. "I didn't mention it because it's none of your damned business!"

Ichigo's jaw slacked. "None of my damned business?"

"_None your damned business_!" Rukia repeated back at him loudly, making her way up another corridor to avoid him.

Ichigo paused, considering what she said. Nodding, he continued behind her. "Alright… maybe it's none of my _damned_ business. But I still have a right to know."

Rukia stopped walking. Ichigo nearly ran right into her as she turned around, and he saw the fury flashing across her face. "A right to know? You don't have a have to know."

"Oh, no?" Ichigo asked her, scowling deeply.

"NO!" Rukia said standing on her tip toes to look him square in the face. She then turned back around, continuing down the hallway with Ichigo literally right on her tail.

"So what did you say?" Ichigo pressed.

"I want to be alone." Rukia growled.

"You said that?"

"I'm _saying_ that!"

"Are you saying you said that or you're saying that?"

Rukia groaned. "I want to die."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa… who did you say that to?" Ichigo asked with alarm.

Rukia nearly kicked open the classroom door that she had her next class in. It was vacant and the lights were out like all the other classrooms due to the lunch period. Ichigo walked in behind her, closing the door behind swiftly. Rukia stood at her desk, her back still turned to him. Ichigo leaned against the door, watching her and wondering why was she so angry.

"Can we just talk about this?" Ichigo asked simply, his tone candid and soft.

Rukia turned around to face him, a disapproving look on her face. "Why?"

Ichigo frowned, walking up to her slowly. "Why? Because Rukia-"

"Ichigo I asked you a question. Why should I talk to you about it? What difference would it make?" Rukia asked him sternly.

"It would make a difference, I can't believe what you're saying-" Ichigo tried to explain, but Rukia cut him off again.

"The two of you act like you're competing for me!" Rukia shouted, gaining Ichigo full attention. "Orihime and Uryu give me speeches on how your walking around failing apart; you walk around like some jilted lover like the world is coming to an end but you're not the jilted _anything_, Ichigo. You won't even put yourself in the game! It's not fair! You want me to tell you everything, but you tell me nothing! I don't know how you feel. Am I supposed to think because you chased me down the hall that you do care about me and don't want me to marry Renji? How about we do it all again… only this time I'll chase _you_!" Rukia walked towards Ichigo, making him take steps backwards.

"How do you feel about me Ichigo? How do you feel about all this Ichigo? I have a right to know, don't I? Don't I?" Rukia paused as her eyes lowered, fixing them on the school emblem stitched on his jacket. "Yes… he asked me to marry him. No – I haven't said yes yet; but _yes_… I'm thinking about it. He's willing to make a commitment to me… how about you?"

Rukia looked up at Ichigo's sullen face, searching his eyes as she paused. "If you want to say something, then now's the time to say it. If you want to talk… talk." Rukia told him softly. Giving him a small pleading smile, she added, "Come on Ichigo… speak now or forever hold your peace."

Ichigo swallowed thickly, his ears peaking at the word commitment. It scared the hell out of him. He stared back at her silently, not knowing what to say. He watched as her smile fade into a disappointing glare, and she shook her head, exhaling deeply with the frustration Ichigo had always placed her in.

"Right," Rukia scoffed, turning around as she walked away from him. _Why did I think it would be _that_ easy?_ She thought dejectedly. Turning back around, she had to ask him one more question. "Are we through?"

"Sure sounds like it." Ichigo muttered lowly, and he turned around to walk out.

"Sure does." Rukia spoke painfully, a small pout on her face.

**::To be continued::**

* * *

Tell me how I'm doing! **Final** chapter up on December 15th!!! (23 pages, over 9,000+ words of goodness!) 

_Nikujyaga_ - Simmered beef and potato.


	5. I am curious Rukia

**Author's Note:** Hello again everyone! Well here is the finale of my IchiRuki story. I hope you will enjoy! I want to thank the show that gave me the inspiration to write this story, _Moonlighting_. If you have never seen it; you should. Maddie and David's characters are so close to Ichigo and Rukia, making it so easy to write. I had a lot of fun writing this, and I want to thank each and every one of readers who sent out reviews! It really made my day! And what better Christmas gift to give to my readers but this **long**…. **Intense**…and _**juicy**_ chapter!!!

And as another treat… if I get over 40 reviews on this chapter I'll post my side fic to this story titled _Another Again_. It's full of good ol' grown and sexy lemon!!! So please make sure to send me a review!! (**1/5/08: already at 35 reviews for this chapter... need 5 more!!!**)

Speacial thanks to **Bio Electric Anemone** for beta-reading! You rock!!

* * *

**Tell Her**

**Chapter Five**

_I am curious… Rukia_

"Is Ichigo home?" Uryu asked the young raven haired girl politely.

Scowling, Karin looked the skinny boy up and down oddly. Ichigo never had a guy visit him at home. "…Yeah, he's here. Come on in."

Karin let Uryu in, still giving him a small frown as she walked into the living room. "He's upstairs in his room, he won't let anyone in, though. Last door on the right."

"Well then, I'll just give it a try." Uryu told her as he pushed his glasses up on his face. Karin never responded, only flopping down on the couch as she grabbed the television remote. She clicked it on, flipping through the channels as she sighed with boredom.

Uryu walked up the stairs; hating the position that Orihime put him in. He didn't care less that Ichigo ran out of the school that afternoon. He didn't care that Ichigo was locked up in his room depressed and tormented over Rukia. And now, because his girlfriend cared about the situation, he was forced to care as well. Failure to cooperate would cost him dearly. Orihime told him that afternoon that if he didn't go check on Ichigo and give him a few inspiring words she would refuse him for over a month. He wasn't a sex-o-holic or anything, just the thought of not touching her was all the encouragement he needed.

Uryu cleared his throat sharply, rapping his knuckles on Ichigo's door. When he got no response, he knocked harder by using his closed fist. "Ichigo Kurosaki, open this door this instant!" Uryu yelled as he gripped the doorknob. To his surprise, the door opened on its own when he turned it, and he pushed it in gently until it he felt something blocking it. He slipped his slim body through the small entrance he made for himself, stepping inside to see that Ichigo's room was utterly trashed.

Sticking his nose up at the destroyed mess that was once Ichigo's room, Uryu's eyes traveled over the broken pictures, torn blankets, books and clothes thrown everywhere, including a guitar that was broken in half.

He then noticed Ichigo sitting in a chair, his feet propped up on his desk as he watched his small color television. It was sitting crooked on the desk, due to all of the items he had demolished. The fuzzy screen showed a woman standing behind a small podium as she testified to a judge in court, then the camera panned back to see a man was standing behind a identical podium, angrily staring down at the woman.

"Ichigo?" Uryu spoke warily, walking over to him only part of the way and then stopping.

"You ever seen this show, Uryu?" Ichigo asked him suddenly, making him jump. His tone was cheery, but Uryu could hear the disheartened tone just barely on the surface. "It's a show from America called _Divorce Court_. It's pretty good. The wife whines… the husband whines… the judge does his little dance and _voila_! The husband has to pay alimony until he's an old gray mare." Ichigo scoffed bitterly at the whole concept of the show only to sneer, "Marriage." He turned around to look at Uryu, and threw his arm over the chair as he smiled strangely. "What brings you to this neck of the woods?"

"Orihime and I saw you leave school in a rush," Uryu said plainly, his eyes still roaming across the debris in the room. "…and we just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"Never better," Ichigo said with a small grin. "You guys don't need to worry so much about me. I got a father and two sisters that worry enough about me already."

"Orihime was more concerned than I was, so you understand my position." Uryu explained as he nodded his head.

Ichigo rolled his eyes smugly at the Quincy. "The things we do for love, eh?" Uryu never responded, only giving Ichigo a nervous smile.

"Speaking of love… I was told by a very reliable source that Renji has rented a vehicle and intends on taking Rukia out this evening." Uryu told informed him, hoping it would peak his interest.

Ichigo's smile faded, and he turned his direction back to the television. "Good."

Uryu frowned, and he walked up to Ichigo with his irritation. "Kurosaki, I know you're a jackass, but you're really earning that name for yourself now."

"Get out of my face with that shit, Ishida," Ichigo growled at him, baring his teeth. "Oh… so now you can just march up here and tell me how love is so wonderful and great and how I need to take the bull by the horns? Like I need advice from _you? _Oh, I see it now… you're the guru of love since you're finally getting laid." Ichigo stood, narrowing his eyes at the Quincy as he gave him a small shove. "Why don't you go be Renji's goddamn valet since you're so excited about him getting a car?"

"That's right, Kurosaki… throw your fists and words around instead of using your damn brain," Uryu yelled at him. "You know what? I really don't give a shit that you want sit locked up here like some melodramatic pixie queen, and trashing your fucking room. You don't give a shit about the people who actually care about you!"

"I didn't ask you to care!" Ichigo roared as he grabbed his shirt. "So why don't you get the fuck out?" Ichigo seethed, pointing the door. "And if you bring your skinny ass back here I'll make sure to kick it!"

Huffing, Uryu pushed Ichigo roughly to make him let go of his shirt. As he walked away from him, Uryu paused at the door. "I just figured you wanted to tell Rukia Kuchiki something while she was still _Miss_ Rukia Kuchiki."

After Uryu slammed the door behind him, Ichigo stood in the middle of his room with everything he ever owned broken and torn beyond repair, just like his miserable fucking life. He clenched his fists tightly as he thought about Rukia. After tearing his room to pieces a few hours ago, he felt emotionally and physically exhausted. His emotions were in overload, and he just wanted to not feel anymore. A hot tear rolled down his cheek, and he groaned as he placed his still clenched fists over his eyes. _Why couldn't I tell her?_ Ichigo's mind screamed. His stomach twisted with regret, making him nauseous. Ichigo remembered what Uryu told him before he left; the cryptic words repeating over and over in his head…

…_I figured you wanted to tell Rukia Kuchiki something while she was still _Miss_ Rukia Kuchiki_…

_He's right_, Ichigo thought to himself. _I do need to tell her_. He was scared to death to express his feelings for her, but he had to do it. If he didn't, Ichigo would live his entire life wondering if it was right to just give up. Why should he let Renji win? He was the better man; regardless of what he owned or what status he had being a Shinigami. He may not have Renji's wealth or superiority; he had something more.

His heart.

And he was willing and ready to give it to Rukia now.

He jumped out his bedroom window, climbed down the water drain and ran down the street at top speed to Orihime's house. He only hoped he wasn't too late.

* * *

"Wow, Renji… this is a pretty car!" Rukia marveled as she and Renji walked up to the candy apple red BMW. "So you learned how to drive, huh?" 

"It took me a while, but after failing two driver's examinations I managed to get that damned license," Renji laughed as he opened the car door for her. "And now I'm going to take you out on a quiet drive to dinner and you can see first hand my driving techniques."

"You spoil me," Rukia chided, giving him a quick peck on the cheek as she got in on the passenger side.

"This is nothing compared to level of spoiling I'm going to give you." Renji boasted. Closing her door, Renji ran around and got in, revving the engine as he started it up.

Rukia smiled at him, amused at how he wanted to show off. She noticed then he wasn't smiling; his hands were gripping the wheel so tightly his knuckles turned white. Renji stared straight ahead, his eyes narrowing with rage. Rukia frowned, wondering what was bothering him all of a sudden. She looked ahead to see what got Renji so upset, and her eyes widened with alarm. Ichigo was dashing down the sidewalk, skipping over the curb to run right into the car they were driving. Rukia's heart thundered hard against her chest, and before she managed to speak to Renji, she felt the car shift and tear off from the curb, the tires peeling with white smoke.

"Oi! Rukia!" Ichigo yelled, waving his hands urgently. He never got out of the path of the car that was now driving down his path.

Renji smiled wickedly as he sped toward him, and he felt Rukia grab his arm tightly. "Renji… don't do it!"

Ichigo stopped running and stood his ground as he watched Renji driving up on him like a wild man. He saw how Rukia's eyes were about bug out of her head, and he saw how evil Renji looked at him.

Rukia screamed as Renji came only a half a foot from striking Ichigo with the car before he slammed on the breaks. She stared at Ichigo strangely as he stood there with an imperative look on his face. His eyes moved over to hers, and she gulped. His gaze was passionate and possessively intense as he walked around to the car door on Rukia's side.

"Rukia, Oi," Ichigo said with a bit of desperation in his voice. "I want to talk to you."

Rukia was speechless, shaking her head at him as he tried the door that was now locked by Renji. Growling, Renji opened his door and got out, his hands lying on the roof of the car.

"Why don't you just leave her alone, Ichigo?" Renji asked tiredly.

"This doesn't have anything to do with you so _butt the fuck out_!" Ichigo yelled as he pointed his finger at Renji. Gazing back down at Rukia, he pressed a hand against the glass, a pleading look on his face. "Rukia…Rukia I want to _talk_ to you. Do you hear me? I said I'm ready to talk to you!!"

"Go home, Ichigo!" Rukia yelled at him, her voice muffled by the glass that separated them.

Renji threw his hands up in the air, slamming the car door as he made his way around the car to Ichigo. Ichigo slid across the hood as he tried to get into the car with Rukia. Panicking, Rukia jumped out and began running up the sidewalk.

"I can't deal with this… I can't deal with this!" Rukia yelled to herself as she ran away.

"Oi, Rukia! Come here! I said I wanted to talk to you!" Ichigo called out to her as he ran behind her, Renji steady on his heels.

Reaching Orihime's front door, Rukia unlocked it with shaky hands like an axe murder was pursing her. "My God! Leave me alone… _both of you_!" She slammed the door shut, leaving the two Shinigamis outside.

The two men now stood at the door, staring each other down. Renji smiled slowly, reaching out to lightly nudge Ichigo on his shoulder. "Why don't we take a walk around the block, Ichigo…and cool off?"

Ichigo shrugged Renji's hand off him roughly, his eyebrows forked with anger. "Keep your hands off me, pal!"

Renji frowned, slightly baffled at Ichigo's outburst. He reached out to him again, but this time Ichigo smacked his hand off of him even harder. Ichigo glared at Renji and began to turn his back to him like he was going to walk away only to come back around with a swing of his fist, connecting perfectly to his jaw. Renji stumbled backwards a few steps, bending over a little as the tears welled up in the corner of his eyes. He looked up, watching Ichigo approach him; his fists clenched and cocked back to swing again.

Yelling, Renji ran forward, tackling Ichigo just as he struck him in his right ear and shoulder. Ichigo lost his footing, which gave Renji the opportunity to stand up and belt his opponent twice in the face, finishing him off by spinning his leg out and kicking him into some trashcans that were sitting by the curb. Out of breath, Renji walked up to Ichigo who was now laying down on the ground, pulling himself up.

"You're an ass, you know that?" Renji breathed out angrily.

Wiping the blood off his mouth, Ichigo glared at him contemptuously. "I just wanted to talk to her." Ichigo stared at the hand Renji extended out to him in an attempt to help him to his feet with disgust. His eyes followed up to Renji's grim face, and he gave him a look of utter disdain. He had the _audacity_ to help him up after he knocked him down? Talk about adding insult to injury.

Orihime's front door then opened, and Rukia emerged quickly. "Look guys, I want the two of you…" Rukia stopped mid-sentence when she saw Ichigo on the ground, clearly beaten up and Renji towering over him. "Ichigo!" Rukia ran over to him as he stood, totally aghast that Renji would even do such a thing.

"I'm alright," Ichigo said lightly, waving her off. He turned, walking slowly down the sidewalk as he nursed his shoulder. "I only came down here because I wanted to talk to you… but of course now I realize you're too busy for me to talk to you… to…" Ichigo lost all train of thought as he hissed with the pain shooting in his right shoulder. He was a pitiful sight as Rukia watched him limp away in defeat. It made her heart ache. Her feet were already moving towards him in slow pace, and he looked over his shoulder noticing her advance.

"I'm alright," Ichigo told her again with a gravelly voice, failing miserably in putting on a smile. "I'm sorry to bother you…" He couldn't think of anything else to say, so he turned dejectedly, walking as fast as his legs could carry him down the sidewalk.

Rukia didn't move until she couldn't see him anymore.

* * *

The drive to the restaurant was so quiet that only sound you could hear was the purring of the engine. Rukia was still numb with shock after seeing Ichigo laying there; beaten, humiliated… she swallowed, feeling her stomach churn. _He only wanted to talk me… how could I've been so cruel?_ Rukia felt responsible for the fight. If she had only given Ichigo a minute of her time, it wouldn't have resulted in violence. But when she saw him initially running and waving his hands frantically, she just thought he was there to fuck her evening up yet again, although he was successful in doing that anyway. 

"For what it's worth… I didn't take the first swing," Renji finally said, his eyes still on the road. When Rukia didn't respond, he shook his head as he let out a small laugh. "…okayyyy…"

"Renji, does it really matter?" Rukia asked resignedly.

"Yeah. Yeah, it matters to me," Renji replied quickly as he looked over at her briefly. "Just to set the record straight, I didn't start any of that."

"I didn't say you did," Rukia replied dryly.

"No… no you didn't. You haven't said a thing," Renji snapped lightly, pausing only to quell his anger. "You know it's kinda funny, Rukia; I come to pick up for dinner, your partner throws a roadblock on the way out, grabs you out of the car, and tries to separate my head from my shoulders. Somehow I can't shake the feeling that I'm somehow being labeled the bad guy."

"Nobody's calling you the bad guy…nobody's calling you anything." Rukia spoke vehemently.

"You know what else is kind of funny?" Renji persisted as he glanced over at Rukia momentarily. "The last time I checked my watch, it was _thirty-six hours_ since I asked you what I asked you, and I haven't heard the slightest response. This wouldn't be too bad if the woman I had asked on the _very_ same night that I asked her hadn't left our bed in the middle of the night. Damn, that's not what sticks in my craw… You want to know what that is? That's when the woman I asked to marry the morning _after_ I asked her to marry me, she tells Momo over the phone, who she hasn't talked to in quite some time say, _'There's nothing going on'_. That it's the uh… '_same old routine'_?" Renji scoffs, gripping the wheel tightly. "I don't know, it's kinda funny really, Rukia. I'm not saying you don't want to be married… I'm just saying maybe it's not to me."

Rukia set her jaw tightly, becoming pissed at what she was hearing. Letting out a nonchalant sigh, she laid her head back against the head rest. "Well… I don't feel like having dinner."

"Fine. Let's go home." Renji replied.

"Yeah, right…my home." Rukia spoke under her breath. Renji looked in her direction, frowning.

"What's that suppose to mean?" Renji asked quickly.

Rukia shook her head, shrugging her shoulders. "Nothing, it means nothing…"

"It meant something-" Renji began, but suddenly Rukia cut him off.

"IT MEANS…I need time, I need space. I'm not glib. If you want glib, marry Ichigo!" Rukia yelled as she glowered at Renji. "I've got to think this through! That's who I am, that's what I am! And while we're on the subject…"

"…Will you stop yelling?" Renji told her covering his ear she was splitting.

"Who told Ichigo Kurosaki about your proposal?" Rukia shouted even louder.

"Me!" Renji spat loudly, watching her eyes widen with surprise.

Rukia narrowed her eyes. "You?"

"I did, yes." Renji said proudly with a smug expression on his face. He watched as Rukia stared at him in disbelief, and she looked straight ahead, tucking her hair behind her ear.

"Thank you." Rukia told him exasperatedly, her lips pursed with agitation.

Renji scoffed at her remark. "You got a problem?"

"Yeah I got a problem," Rukia said as she looked over at him. "It's none of your damned business!"

Renji scowled, confused at what she meant. "None of my damned business?"

"None of your damned business!" Rukia snapped loudly. "It's my business to tell him, it's my business to even choose to tell him! Mine! My business, my choice! My God… this isn't something you settle between the two of you, this is something I settle with _me_! Don't I have something to say about all this? You and I may have known each other longer than I've known Ichigo, who _isn't_ the subject here… but that doesn't mean you can just waltz in here after all these years and stake your claim like I'm a piece of real estate!"

"I didn't think that's what I did." Renji told her as he shook his head.

"Well, that's sure what it feels like you did!" Rukia exclaimed, folding her arms in front of her.

"I guess maybe I'm just not used to asking someone to marry me." Renji simply told her, looking straight ahead again. Rukia looked over at him, realizing how hurt he sounded.

"I know…" Rukia sighed tiredly as she rubbed her temples. "I'm not used to being asked." Rukia forgot that Renji's proposal to her had to have been the hardest thing he ever did; and she couldn't be mad at him for wanting a direct and speedy answer. But she had to think it over; she was never one to make impulsive decisions, and especially not on this occasion.

A few minutes later, Renji pulled up to the curb at Orihime's house. He turned the car off, sitting silently as he stared straight head.

"Sorry about dinner." Rukia said softly.

"It's okay," Renji glanced over at her with a sad smile. "I'll take a rain check."

"Renji…I think maybe I'd like to be by myself for a while." Rukia said carefully.

"Me too." Renji replied as he gripped the steering wheel tightly.

Rukia opened the car door, and watched when Renji got out at the same time. He shook his head at his error, placing his hands up as he conceded.

"No, really… it's easier if I go." Rukia told him.

"It's easier if I go." Renji offered quickly.

"But you have nowhere to go!"

"I'll go to somebody else's home. I'll go to a hotel."

"Please… are you sure it's okay that I take the house and you take the car?"

"Yeah…we can work out the alimony later." Renji joked lightly. "I have to go drop this car back off anyways, so it's not a big deal."

Rukia sighed. "I'm sorry. See you later?"

Renji opened the car door, pausing for a second as he nodded. "Yeah… see you later." Climbing in, he started the engine. He looked over at Rukia once more, giving her a reassuring smile before he drove away into the night.

* * *

Rukia washed dishes, vacuumed and changed her bed linens to give herself a break from all the thinking she consumed herself with from the last two hours. After she finally finished, she still felt anxious. Throwing on her jean jacket, she decided to take a walk to clear her mind. 

She wasn't surprised when she walked right over to Ichigo's house.

She stood out front of the Kurosaki Clinic for minutes, pacing and looking up at Ichigo's darkened bedroom window. After a half hour passed, she built up enough courage to climb up and make sure Ichigo was okay and apologize.

As Rukia pulled the window up, she gazed horrified into Ichigo's darkened bedroom, but that couldn't disguise the absolute mess the room was in. Rukia let out a worried sigh as she climbed inside, shaking her head as she stared at the broken, tattered shambles that was once a perfectly kept room, knowing he was highly enraged to do such a thing. Rukia began to pick up some papers off the floor, and then looked for the trash basket to dump other pieces of trash. She was so busy straightening up the room that she didn't even see Kon climb inside.

"Cleaning up, Rukia?" Kon asked softly, and Rukia spun around to look at him.

"You frightened me, Kon," Rukia snapped. She sighed as she saw how the depressed little plushy lowered his head. "So… Ichigo did all this?"

"I was here when he did it," Kon replied fearfully as he sat down on the edge of Ichigo's bed. "It was horrible. I hid under the bed – good thing I did 'cause he would have torn me to shreds if he saw me. I don't think I've ever seen him that upset before."

"Well where is he now?" Rukia asked.

"I haven't seen him since this afternoon when Uyru came to visit him." Rukia eyes widened with that news, and then she shook her head. "Rukia… is there something going on between you two that's making him act this crazy?"

Rukia didn't respond right away as she sat down beside Kon. "There's nothing going on between me and Ichigo, Kon… and that's the problem, I think."

"So you're dating that Renji dude?" Kon asked, and when she didn't answer he went on to ask, "Is he really terrific, Rukia?"

Rukia looked over at Kon, and he observed how her eyes looked like they were on the brink of tears. "To be completely honest Kon… they're _both_ really terrific."

If Kon had the capability to blush, this would have been the time. Even though the conversation didn't involve him, he was partially grateful that Rukia was being so candid with him. Any other time she would be yelling and stomping his head into the floorboards. The room was deathly silent as they sat in the darkness, and Kon jumped down to the floor to pick up Ichigo's broken guitar.

"Geez… he loved this thing," Kon spoke sadly as he dragged it over to the trashcan to toss it in. "He must have been awfully angry to break it." Dusting his soft hands together, he looked over at Rukia who seemed to be deep in thought. "So… what do you plan to do?"

"I don't know what to do," Rukia whined frustratingly. "I don't know if what I want is what I _need_, you know?"

"Follow your heart I guess," Kon replied as he began picking up more trash. "Your heart can never lie."

Rukia eyes widened fractionally as she pondered on what Kon said, and then she stood. "Kon… you're right." Kon stopped cleaning to turn around and look at her again inquisitively.

"Huh?" Kon asked.

"I owe Renji an answer, and I'm ready to give it to him." Rukia spoke with a bit of trepidation in her voice. "I'm so damn nervous… but I have to do this. Thanks Kon!" Before Kon could say another word Rukia leapt out the window.

"Sure… let me clean this mess up all by my damn self…" Kon grumbled as he resumed to his task. "See if I give you advice again, Rukia Kuchiki!"

* * *

The house was dark and quiet when Rukia entered. As she locked the door, she looked up the stairs that led to her bedroom. She knew Renji was in there, waiting patiently like he always had for her when she returned home. Tossing her keys on the kitchen counter, she peeled off her jacket as she read a note Orihime left saying she was spending the evening over at Uyru's. Rukia looked up at the stairway once more, a dreadful nervous feeling gripping her stomach. 

Steeling herself, she finally began to climb the stairs that led to her room. She paused only for a brief second before entering quietly. The room, like the entire house, was dark. The bedroom window was open, the night air softly blowing through the curtains. She then saw Renji, his back turned to her, lying in the bed with the covers pulled over his head and shoulders.

"Renji…" Rukia called out to him timidly, and he shifted slightly on the bed as he awoke. "Don't move, don't speak… don't even look at me. This is so _hard_… you're so wonderful. I don't want you to think for a minute that I didn't take your proposal seriously."

Rukia inched closer to the bed, pausing for a second as she took a deep, controlling breath. "Proposing to me was the most wonderful… the most important thing anyone has ever asked me. The thought of marrying you… having a family with you…I may hate myself for the rest of my life; but the cruel trick in all this is if you'd asked me five or ten years ago the answer would have been different. But right now… I'm sorry.

"I know you think you know why, but you're wrong. I care about you so much… I want to spend every waking minute figuring out how we can make it work, but I don't see how we can. Not right now – not with…" Rukia's voice began to quaver, and she swallowed thickly. "Renji… you deserve someone who loves you, and only you. I do love you… but not only you. I know how difficult this is for you to hear; you can't imagine how difficult it is for me to say…" Rukia stepped closer to the bed, taking another deep breath as she softly spoke. "I love you Renji; you have to know that, but – I love him too, and I know that's not good enough for you.

"I know it means you'll leave and never see me again, but do me a favor…don't." Rukia hands shakily went up to the buttons of her blouse, unbuttoning each one slowly. "At least, not right now. Give me tonight. Give _us_ tonight. We'll hold each other, we'll make love… we'll sleep." Completely naked, Rukia walked over to the bed and sat down. "And if I wake up and you're not here… I'll understand. Just hold me, please…"

Rukia climbed underneath the covers, embracing Renji as he rolled over to face her. She was about to kiss him until she realized the man embracing her _wasn't_ Renji.

"Hmmm… Oh I like _that_," Ichigo purred lowly.

Recoiling in total shock, Rukia jumped up and scrambled out of the bed, taking the sheet with her in an attempt to cover herself. She ran over to the light switch, turning it on as she quickly whirled around to confirm who was in her bed. Ichigo was sitting there, wearing a sleeveless tee shirt and shorts, his back against the headboard. He squinted his eyes to the blinding light that now illumined the room.

"What are you doing here?" Rukia asked excitedly, the anger and confusion making her throat dry.

"I _was_ getting lucky," Ichigo chided with a smirk.

Rukia narrowed her eyes at him venomously. "You are the most loathsome, the most disgusting… the vilest-"

"Come on… how are you gonna know if you don't try?" Ichigo told her playfully.

"Where is Renji?" Rukia yelled as she stomped her foot.

"Where is Renji?" Ichigo repeated back at her, and he smiled when he saw her nostrils flare.

"Don't make say it again," Rukia growled.

"This question is definitely going to kill the mood…" Ichigo muttered lightly.

"Where?" Rukia shouted heatedly. Ichigo stopped smiling, pausing as he folded his arms across his chest.

"Renji's gone." Ichigo told her flatly. Rukia's eyes slowly widened.

"Gone? What do you mean gone? Where did he go? When will he-" Rukia asked him, her voice breaking.

"When I got here his bags were packed." Ichigo cut in quickly, hating to hear the hurt in her voice.

Rukia's shoulders dropped. She lowered her eyes, shaking her head dismally. "So that's it? No explanations, no goodbyes, no anything?" Rukia spoke softly to no one in particular. Rukia eyes followed over to the note that Ichigo tossed to her at the edge of the bed, and she warily walked over and picked it up, gripping the bed sheets close to her. As she began to read the contents, she could already feel the tears stinging her eyes.

"Yeah… I was surprised." Ichigo drawled out slowly as he watched her read the note. "I guess handwriting doesn't count for much in the Soul Society." Rukia eyes drifted over to Ichigo face, and he gave her small smirk. "A breeze came up, and blew it into my lap."

When Rukia finally finished reading the letter, Ichigo cleared his throat as he tried to look serious. "Look… I came over here because I wanted to talk. I felt that I owed him an apology, and I owed you apology. When I got here he was on his way out the door. He said he didn't see how you and him could make it work… he thought you had _other things_ you needed to take care of. I figure I'd stick around."

Ichigo rubbed his shoulder, and his face screwed up with pain as he continued. "Your boy Renji gave me a good shot in the shoulder, so I came up here to lay down… and you know the rest." He gave her a cocky smile, hoping to break the heavily depressed mood Rukia seemed to be in.

Rukia stared at him blankly, not amused at his efforts at all. "Go home, Ichigo."

Ichigo blinked. "You're sure you want me to do that?"

Rukia narrowed her eyes at him. "What?"

"Rukia… Renji's gone, and we're here." Ichigo explained slowly.

"So?" Rukia snapped bitterly.

"So?" Ichigo repeated strangely.

"So what, Ichigo. What are you saying?" Rukia asked irritatingly.

"I'm saying…" Ichigo flipped a pillow back against the bed nervously, taking a moment to finish. "_We_ are here. The two of us, together. Isn't this what it's all about?"

"No," Rukia hissed, walking along side the bed as she glared at the red-headed young man. "This is _not_ what this was all about. This was about me. This was supposed to be about what _I_ want. I was the one proposed to. I was the one who had a choice to make. Not a choice between two men; but a choice for my future… my life. But I'm not going to get a chance to make that choice; because at least two people, and who knows how many others, conspired to make it for me!"

"That's not true," Ichigo told her defensively.

"You interrupt our dinner," Rukia countered as she paced the floor angrily. "He goes over to your house to discuss the marriage proposal. The two of you play Popeye and Brutus in front of Orihime's… then he leaves, and you're here. I don't why I bothered showing up. Everything seems to get done perfectly well without me. The two of you did just fine by yourselves!"

"But what about just now?" Ichigo asked, raising an eyebrow.

Rukia paled. Clasping her hands in front of her, she looked away from him. "What about just now? I thought that was him, I didn't know it was you."

Ichigo smiled slowly, his cheeks flushing with the reminder of what Rukia said earlier. "Rukia… you said some things that –"

"And you _didn't_," Rukia snapped softly, her gaze now back on him. "Nothing. Not during the whole thing, Ichigo. You didn't say a word."

Ichigo's smile broadened, and after a tense pause he said, "I don't have to say anything."

Rukia eyes widened with surprise. "What do you mean you don't have to say anything?" Ichigo didn't answer; he only stared back at her with this huge, mocking grin on his face that made Rukia infuriated. "Stop smiling! Why are you smiling? How can you be so smug?"

Ichigo threw his legs over the edge of the bed, and stood slowly. Rukia's eyes followed him as he began to slowly walk around the bed towards her. "I'm not being smug- I'm being honest. You know it and I know it. You feel it; and I feel it."

Rukia began to back up slowly at his sudden advance. "Stay away from me." She warned him viciously.

"Here I come," Ichigo said deeply, a glint of mischief in his eyes.

"But I don't want you, I've _never_ wanted you," Rukia tried to convince him, her eyes scanning the room for anything to ward him off.

"Yeah, right…I heard the speech and got the good-bye grope." Ichigo sneered playfully.

"That was for him not _you_! Wake up! I'm not leaving him for you… I'm leaving him for me… _me, me, me, me, me_… is that clear?" Rukia sputtered out nervously as she discreetly picked up a small flower vase behind her.

"Let's try that in C Flat," Ichigo chided, inching closer to her.

Rukia drew the vase up to Ichigo's view, and he tilted his head curiously. "Get back!" Rukia hissed.

Ichigo stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes narrowing down at her. "Put that down, Rukia."

"No." Rukia answered as she held the vase in a threatening manner.

"Put it down." Ichigo demanded, his voice rising with annoyance.

"No." Rukia repeated again, her tone teasing and light.

The tension was thick between them in the room now, and Rukia could see how Ichigo's chest was rising and falling with the anger that swelled in the pit of his belly. Ichigo searched her face silently; narrowing his eyes gradually as he scowled.

"I'm not going to force myself on you," Ichigo finally said softly, his eyes looking her up and down slowly. "I don't want to force myself on you. Tell you the truth, you're not worth it!"

Ichigo walked around her, grabbing his clothes that laid on the nearby chair. Rukia jaw dropped, and she whirled around to look at him. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me," Ichigo growled, never looking her direction.

"What do you mean I'm not worth it?" Rukia asked again, setting the vase down as she gripped the sheet closer to her body.

"Not worth it, _not worth it_!" Ichigo yelled as he threw a hand up exasperatedly. He turned around to look at her, and his face red with rage. "No woman is worth this, alright? Look…never mind, alright? Just forget about it. This was never meant to be!"

"How dare you!" Rukia shouted at him as she followed him right out of the bedroom door and to the stairs. "I'm not worth it? _I'm_ not worth it? Look who's talking about worth… if there was a close out sale on human beings you'd be the last one to sell!"

"You would know honey," Ichigo muttered as he stormed downstairs.

"What does that mean?" Rukia barked as she stopped at the top of the stairs.

Ichigo spun around as he pointed his finger at her. "I'll tell you what it means. You're the kind of person that goes through life looking at the price tag instead of the merchandise! You want some guy with a good job, great looks, nice manners, well that's just fine. It makes sense – look at you… you're not a person, you're a poster. Well, you deserve another poster."

Rukia brushed a hair out of her face as she walked downstairs quickly. "You're going over the line, Ichigo."

Ichigo was hopping on one leg as he stuffed it into his pants. "You spend more time complaining than smiling! You spend more time with business than you do with pleasure!"

"And your way is better?" Rukia yelled as she stood on her tip toes to look him dead in his eyes. "Acting immature and irresponsible? Is that you what you believe in?"

"Acting irresponsible? Is that all you believe in? Spare me." Ichigo told her as he struggled to put his other leg into his pants.

"Well I know what you believe in, huh? A good party!" Rukia fumed as she threw her hands up into the air. "I – I can't believe this… this is ridiculous! I'm miserable!"

"So am I." Ichigo replied as he zipped his pants up.

"Yeah well… I may have just let the best thing that ever happen to me get away," Rukia told him with a shaky voice. He was about to walk off, but stopped when she said that, making his stomach twist. "And look at me; here I am spending the evening having another pointless argument with _you_!"

Swallowing thickly, Ichigo felt totally spent of emotion and words. Flaring his nostrils he growled, "Fine!"

"Fine!" Rukia repeated at him hotly, a tear rolling down her cheek.

"Good!"

"Good!"

"Bitch!"

"Bastard!" Rukia instantly shot her hand out and slapped him hard across his face, making his head turn in the direction of the blow. "Get out!" Rukia screamed, the tears flowing more freely now as she just watched him turn his face towards her, the expression on his face surprised that she actually hit him.

Rukia's heart was thundering in her chest just looking at the person who she hated… and loved. Hate was in favor of her emotions so much right now that the very sight of his face made something deep inside her snap violently. She threw as much force as she could muster in the next slap; and her palm and fingers throbbed with the pain in its aftermath. "GET OUT!" Rukia cried out again, her voice strained with red-hot rage.

Ichigo slowly turned his head back to face her again, his right cheek stinging with pain. Rukia watched how he just stared at her darkly, his eyes glazed over with fiery hatred. That feeling in his belly… what he had mistaken for anger sprouted into something else now; and when he saw her hand swing for the third time, it trigged something deep within him that he never knew existed.

Desire.

Ichigo caught the offending hand by the wrist tightly. Rukia gasped, and frowned when she felt him add pressure to her wrist a little too tightly. Then Rukia felt it. The surging, electric sensations that swarmed around in her stomach suddenly slammed directly into her chest. She didn't even realize both of them were breathing hard until now. She felt him pull her towards him, and she was suddenly pressed against his hard chest.

They stared at each other intensely for seconds but it seemed like an eternity. Unable to control himself any longer, Ichigo grabbed a fistful of her raven hair, and while still holding her by the wrist he kissed her. Shocked of his brazen behavior, Rukia initially tried to pull back. But as he continued to kiss her, she felt herself melting, spinning, self-destructing, and simply submitting to the wonderful feelings that Ichigo ignited in her.

She had kissed other men before. But what made kissing Ichigo Kurosaki so powerful, so scary and yet so blissful all the same time she could never know.

He was grabbing her up roughly, kissing her so hard that he wanted to gobble her whole. Letting her wrist go, Rukia clutched at him crazily, scraping her nails along his naked shoulders and then raking them into his hair frantically. Desperate tongues battled each other as they both explored each others mouths deeply for the first time, and when they ran out of air they tore their mouths away from each other, catching their breath and panting raggedly.

Ichigo's amber pupils were dilated with lust as he gazed down at her darkly. Rukia wanted to say something, but couldn't. He stuck his tongue so far down her throat she figured he swallowed her entire voice. Ichigo leaned down to her neck, and finding and pulse right behind her ear he nipped there lightly, making her legs nearly give out from under her.

_Oh my God_… Rukia's mind screamed. _What the hell… how could he know that I would _love_ that?_

His hands and mouth were all over her at once, setting her entire body on fire. Her body suddenly felt the draft of cold air as Ichigo tore the sheet off of her, leaving her completely naked in front of him. She shivered with anticipation as his hungry eyes drank her in quickly, and she wondered if he liked what he saw.

The thought was quickly erased when Ichigo lowered his head, latching his hungry mouth on to one of her breast, sucking on it with the full enthusiasm of a newborn child. Rukia let out a hoarse cry of pleasure, pulling on his hair wildly. She felt her legs go numb, and suddenly couldn't stand anymore. Her mind was in a haze as she felt her back rest against the soft fibers of the carpet, not recalling how she got there. She moaned when she felt Ichigo's mouth left her tingling areola to attack the other neglected one.

Ichigo raised his head, giving her a smoldering glance. His mouth curved into a sexy grin as lowered his head once more, his tongue trailing down her stomach, dipping into her naval playfully. Rukia watched in awe as he lathered his tongue across her body, and thought how Ichigo's tongue looked so _long_… but what puzzled her was what he intended to do with it. Rukia never had anyone kiss her body like this before, not that it was disgusting or anything – in fact it felt heavenly. But her curiosity peaked when she saw how his head was creeping dangerously close towards her nether regions.

He looked up at her questioning face once more before his mouth ventured lower, his lips brushing against her soft raven curls. He kissed through the mass of hair; taking in her arousing heavy scent as his hand attempted to part her legs. He felt her pull against his movement, and he looked up at her panicked face. Her eyes were wide and her head shook with protest, not sure of what he wanted to do.

"Relax," Ichigo spoke, his voice heavy and provocative. He even surprised himself with the way he sounded. "I'm about to make you feel _so_ good."

Rukia couldn't speak; she could only whimper slightly as she relaxed her legs, allowing them to part as Ichigo settled between her creamy thighs. She watched in shock as he lowered his head again, the heat of his breath deathly close to her sex. She felt his hand slide under her leg, his deft fingers sliding between the hot sticky warmth. He held open her glistening flesh and his tongue snaked out, sliding leisurely against her. Rukia's body reacted violently with the contact as it jerked with overwhelming pleasure.

The salty, and yet sweet taste of her coated his tongue, and Ichigo knew at that moment he would always want it. He took another lap at her, this time his eager tongue swirled around the bundle of nerves that stood exposed from being so aroused. "_Fuck_," Ichigo hissed against her as he continued to lick vigorously. "You taste just like I'd imagined… so fucking _good_…" He closed his mouth over her twitching clit, flicking the tip of his tongue over it quickly.

Rukia screamed, tightening her legs around his head forcefully. She came so fiercely; it was so intense that she saw stars behind her closed eyelids. The second the spasms of her release ebbed, she felt groggy, and then instantly embarrassed at how her traitorous body behaved. She pulled her heavy head up to look down at Ichigo, his face still down between her legs as he let her highly sensitive clit fall out of his mouth to drink the ambrosia that spilled from her body.

Ichigo was feverish with tasting her; his tongue sliding across her vulva. Finding her heated entrance he stuck his tongue inside as far as it possibly could, using the thick muscle to mimic a certain part of his anatomy. Rukia rocked her hips against his face as she tried to catch her breath, her body covered with a fine sheen of sweat as she now felt his mouth return to her clit again.

"_Ohmygawwwh_," Rukia rasped out as she felt two of his fingers enter her cautiously. He pulled the appendages back gradually only to slide them in further, and began building a rhythm in time with his mouth that made her legs shake. The steady humming that vibrated from Ichigo's throat made the pulsing pleasure ripple against her heated orifice until she exploded. Her release left her crying out Ichigo's name silently as she shuddered and nearly passed out.

Ichigo jaw ached as he finally pulled his mouth away from her, and he greedily licked his lips. He watched her twist and writhe in the after effects of her orgasm, and he smiled smugly. She was absolutely beautiful, and she was all his.

"Ohhh …_shit_," Rukia panted, a satisfying smile curling up on her lips as she covered her eyes with her forearm. She didn't look at him yet. She _couldn't_ look at him yet, not after what he did. Her body ran hot with embarrassment and excitement as her breathing slowed down. How could he make her come two times within minutes of their lovemaking? Was it even possible, to have more than one? Taking in a deep breath, she uncovered her eyes to find Ichigo gazing right back at her, his tongue still running across his lips. She became instantly aroused again; her sex pulsating with anticipation of having him inside her, filling her void and completing her soul.

"How did….why…" Rukia spoke with a raw voice, pulling her self up on her elbows. She had so many questions, but her brain couldn't catch up with her mouth.

"You've never had a guy go down on you?" Ichigo asked incredulously, his eyes widening with amusement. Rukia shook her head slowly, and Ichigo smirked arrogantly. "God, Rukia…" he began with a small chortle. "You're doing wonders to my ego right now."

As Rukia blushed furiously, she quickly clamped her legs shut as she suddenly felt awkward in the position he left her on the floor. Ichigo knelt down beside her, smiling modestly as his amber eyes twinkled at her.

"Did you like it?" Ichigo asked her sexily, his voice thick with passion.

Rukia's face became redder with his question, and as she swallowed she finally answered with a shaky nod, "_Oh_ yeah."

Ichigo's smile broadened as he reached out to brush a stray hair out of her flushed face. "Well… That's all that matters. Let's get you upstairs so I can do this right, shall we?"

Before Rukia could say another word, Ichigo picked her up off the floor and proceeded to run up the stairs to her bedroom. He laid her down carefully on the bed, and then stepped back to undress – again. Rukia sat up to watch him remove his clothing, her heart beating fast with excitement and anticipation.

"I don't have to say anything because I'm about to show you how I feel," Ichigo suddenly informed her as he got to his shorts. "And when I'm done, you're going to feel absolutely and positively _cherished_."

Rukia's heart skipped a beat, overjoyed that Ichigo could ever make such a declaration. As he pulled his shorts down, his cock sprung out from its confines, making her eyes widen with shock. He was _huge_. She knew he was endowed, she guessed that much when she was checking him out the previous morning, but she never imagined this size. Wanting to gauge her reaction, he gave his fully erect member an experimental stroke, watching how she covered her mouth. He let out a small, lustful laugh.

"Don't worry… I'll fit." He told her conceitedly as he walked over the bed, a knee pressing down the mattress.

Rukia narrowed her eyes at him slowly, thinking that he was being awfully supercilious with his comments now; but at this point her body begged for the attention he so desperately wanted to give. He crawled over to her, and stopped when his body was directly over hers. Rukia could feel the warmth of his naked body and the heat of his arousal as it slid against her belly, and she shivered. He was face-to-face with her, and he gazed at her dreamily a few seconds before his mouth descended down to hers, kissing her passionately.

Rukia's arms wrapped around his neck, drawing him closer to her lithe body. She moaned into his mouth, her hips rocking up to his feverishly as she parted her legs, allowing him to settle down between them.

Rukia pondered the fact that all this time what she was looking for was right under her nose the entire time. This feeling, this scary but yet thrilling sensation that tickled her stomach and touched her heart was Ichigo. Ichigo Kurosaki…her Shinigami partner, her best friend, and now… the love of her life.

Reaching down with one hand, he grabbed his hardness and gradually nudged it at her soaking entrance. The moment became frozen in time as they both stared at other, knowing they were about to embark into something that would forever change things between them. But after the oral exploration that Ichigo had given her moments ago already put them past that point; he had to assure her it was more than that. This was more than some lustful young man trying to get laid; this ran deeper than any emotion he'd ever experienced. He could see the uncertainty in her eyes, and he knew it was now or never to tell her how he truly felt.

"Rukia," Ichigo spoke softly as he began to enter her with careful ease. "I love you _so_ much."

Rukia gasped, overwhelmed by the simple endearment as it made her body tremble with long awaited-happiness, and then she felt him push inside her, filling completely. She tensed; letting out a long moan as he stretched and filled her perfectly. She closed her eyes shut, trying to compose herself as she felt every inch of Ichigo, and recalling what he said made her floodgates open rapidly. She arched her back, shivering with the unexpected orgasm that rippled all over the body. Her pussy began to spasm around his cock, and as she let out a long humming noise as Ichigo watched her in total fascination. He gritted his teeth, keeping perfectly still as she rode her pleasure out. The way her body contracted around him was driving him crazy, and if he made one move against her sporadic movements he would follow her as well.

As the sensations ebbed, Rukia drunkenly opened her eyes as she smiled up at Ichigo, who looked further from content. He was working a thread of control at the moment, and he became worried at how Rukia seemed to jump around like her finger was in a light socket.

Her throat was dry as she searched for her voice. "Wow," Rukia gushed out in amazement and laughed in spite of herself, her cheeks blushing hotly. She has had orgasms before, but never at this level of intensity, and she's never had one on the first stroke, either.

"You okay?" Ichigo whispered.

"Mmmm, yeah…" Rukia purred as her eyelids drooped lazily, her hands sliding along his strong forearms.

"Good," Ichigo ground out roughly as he began to move within her with deep, penetrating thrusts. They both groaned at the new sensations they both gave each other. Ichigo focused on her, his gaze hard and deep with concentration as he moved. His mind and body was in sensory overload as she grabbed him occasionally with each thrust, and it made him move faster against her. He knew he wasn't going to last much longer if she kept doing that, so he tried his best to bring her off at least one more time before he lost control. It was a task in itself as Rukia's nimble fingers ran down his back, grabbing his ass tightly. He hissed, his head snapping back with a hard shove into her, making them both shudder.

"You like that, huh?" Rukia murmured, her tone sultry and ragged. She tried to grab him again but got distracted when Ichigo began to pump his hips faster into hers, making her shriek with delight. Her nails raked up his back, and Ichigo could feel the stinging trail she left in its wake, knowing she was leaving bloody scratches. Rukia drew in a deep breath, calming herself as she began to focus on her inner muscles, clenching them rhythmically with each of his thrusts. Ichigo drew his head down to her breasts, catching one into his mouth, his tongue lapping against the hard nipple. They desperately tried to make the other climax first, but the battle became so even handed at this point it was more torturing than gratification.

Ichigo would speed up to get into an intense rhythm that made Rukia follow his lead, pushing her hips up into each of his frantic thrusts. Then he would slow down to a complete stop, making her squeal with frustration. He would kiss to silence her, deeply and long as he felt her melt away. He would begin again, slowly at first just like before. Rukia was in total bliss as her body tingled all over from the workout he was giving her now. Their lovemaking was beautiful and unique; like a dance they had memorized, moving to a tune that only the two of them could hear. It felt so natural and so right; leaving both them astonished at the total wave of emotions that washed over them. Rukia was astounded; she never had a lover that lasted this long, attending to her every need… and then drawing it out as long as he possibly could.

He ran a hand between their sweaty skin as he felt for her clit. Once his fingers found her treasure, he rolled it gently with his index finger. He watched Rukia's eyes widen, her mouth dropping open as she felt the fantastic jolts of pleasure vibrate across her body. Ichigo felt his control slip at the sight of her convulsing, so he began to pump harder and faster against her, his fingers still dancing across her engorged clit.

"Let go Rukia," Ichigo breathed out as the sweat rolled off his face. "…You feel so fucking good… _let go_," Ichigo rolled his eyes back in his head, his skin prickling with the onset of his quickly approaching release. Rukia felt her insides melt, and as she sailed off into ecstasy as she sobbed out Ichigo's name, her cries resounded all over the bedroom. He felt her squeeze him, the vice-like grip making him struggle to pump into her flesh that tried to evict him now. He gave her a few more erratic hard shoves before he felt himself erupting deep inside her, making him let out a strangled cry, his sticky forehead pressed firmly against hers. His body suddenly felt like lead as he slumped against her, his head resting the nook of her shoulder. Ichigo's head spun as the blood rushed hard in his ears. He tried to move off of her small body, but he felt her arms embrace him tighter. He lazily turned his head to hers, and her angelic face was flushed with her post-orgasmic glow. Her eyes were closed as if she was committing every detail of Ichigo's body to memory. A low noise rolled around in her throat as she now ran a hand through his wet hair. Ichigo's body still throbbed with his after-affects of his release; every few seconds his cock would tentatively twitch inside her as it slowly drew back down to normal size.

They laid there silently for some time, and Ichigo felt his eyes become heavy. A final thought skirted through his mind as the euphoric emotions took over his spent body. "I love you, Rukia." He muttered softly as he fell fast asleep, a soft snore buzzing from his mouth.

Rukia's heart fluttered with those three little words, and she opened her eyes to gaze down at Ichigo in utter amazement. _He loves me_, Rukia's mind screamed as the tears stung her eyes. She knew it was true – he did love her. She could feel it, she could see it, and he proved it. She thought of all the time they wasted trying to discover the feelings they had for each other. But, that was all over now… she had her man, and even though he did take a while to tell her how he felt, it was truly worth the wait.

**::The END::**

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Did you hate it? Did you like it? Tell me in a review! Make sure to look out for my IchiRuki series that is coming out in 2008, and if I get to at least 40 reviews on this chapter (already at 35, so keep it coming!) I will publish my side story to this fic titled _Another Again_! Thanks for reading! 


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